Rivers Need Springs
by Wavebreeze
Summary: A scientist, Link, stabs himself with the DNA of the Blue Eyed Beast and transforms into a wolf. He must rely on his uptight secretary, Zelda, and his college sister, Aryll, to help stop him from changing every night. Full summary inside. Zelink AU
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Note:_

_Summary: _Link, a laid back scientist, is working on confidential experiment where he is trying to recreate a mythical beast called "The Blue Eyed Beast" to see if the legends are true. He accidentally stabs himself with a syringe of the synthetic blood during a thunderstorm and now must rely on his highly professional secretary, Zelda, and college sister, Aryll, to help him. Not only is he transforming into a wolf at night and his boss, Ganondorf, is becoming suspicious of his absence, but he also has to struggle to build a good relationship with his total opposite: Zelda. What can two totally different people find to like about each other? AU, modern day, and of course Zelink. :p

_So here is a new story of mine called Rivers Need Springs. This story is actually a challenge fic, which was given to me by my friend, Canada Cowboy. There are many steps to the challenge he gave me and, though he created it, I can always use thoughts from readers on how I can improve with this challenge. So I am simply asking you, if you want to, to lend some advice either about the challenge or not at all! Simply reviewing is always nice, too. :-)_

_Oops, I got a little side tracked there. Here is what the challenge consists of in a nutshell:_

_-Link is not the hero or he has to rely on somebody else to help him save whatever needs saving._

_-Relationship building: it is not love at first sight, meaning the characters may have to go through some difficulties together to strengthen their bond._

_-Show don't tell. Focus on lightning of atmosphere. (This is actually the one I struggled most with and still am, so help is always appreciated.)_

_Although not mentioned in the challenge, I am actually adding a bonus task to myself. I have always written in first person but I feel that this story will be easier to understand in third person, so that is what I am writing in. The style is going to be a bit different so let me know if you like it or not please!_

_So I hope you enjoy the first chapter of my newest story! I'll stop talking now._

Chapter One – Every Employee Needs a Fake Smile

* * *

FRIDAY

* * *

Everything has an antonym. For good it is bad, happy it is sad, and for sunshine it is pouring rain. Mountains are the opposites of lakes as night is to day. Knowing this, it makes perfect sense for the antonym of Link to be Zelda.

This said Link sits on a rickety stool with his feet resting on top of a steel table. Only inches away from his mud covered boots are glass cases, each containing something different: half of a bright blue eye, a thick strand of fur, a tiny piece of a claw, a sharp tooth, part of a heart, and other internal organs. A white lab coat rests over his yellow and green-stripped polo shirt and his jeans have rips at the knees. His brilliant blue eyes lazily follow every sloppy word he creates on a notebook rested against his thighs as his golden hair constantly falls in front of his face.

Zelda, on the other hand, sits erect in her office chair in a room outside of Link's lab. Her long blonde hair is pinned up in a bun and not one loose strand hangs in front of her pale, heart shaped face. Her fingers fly across the keyboard and her ice blue eyes shine with determination to quickly finish her large amount of work. She wears a dark red blouse and a knee length, tight black skirt. A file cabinet sits next to her, all of its contents arranged alphabetically, and a desktop calendar lies beside her computer. Each event on it is written in perfect handwriting with the time and place on every one. The only other items on her desk are an average black cloak, an empty picture frame, and a nameplate that reads "Secretary Zelda Harkarian" in gold letters.

Zelda is thinking about the next meeting she must arrange for her boss, while Link wonders if this chemical is going to set off the right reaction to the specimen. They are each so absorbed in their work that they pay no attention to the rumble of thunder or the constant din of the drumming rain that slams the roof.

Zelda, finally completing her task, glances at the clock and sees it to be eight at night. In one fluent motion, she reaches into her desk drawer, pulls out a paper bag, and stands up on her black high heels. She strides to Link's lab door with her head held high and the paper bag clutched in her smooth hands.

Knocking on the door only once, she enters the room to see her boss, Link, in such an unprofessional manner that it astounds her. She stares at the bottom of his dirty boots in horror, each speck of mud a bullet to her pride. She wonders how he can even _dare_ to rest his dirty feet near such delicate specimen. Why does _she_ have to work with _him_? He is a great scientist but does he even care for his work? Does he respect it at all?

It is not the first time these questions have aroused inside of her - they appear every single day.

Holding back a groan of aggravation, she takes a few steps forward, the sound of her high heels clopping on the polished white floor echoing in the spacious room. Several steel tables are arranged in neat rows but their countertops are littered with scribbled writings and drawings on scrap papers, tubes and vials of colorful liquid, books with torn edges, and empty plastic water bottles. Like most science labs, the plain white walls are perfectly clean and the overhead lights make the entire room almost a blinding white. If either Link or Zelda stares at a certain spot on the wall for too long, they receive a very obnoxious headache.

Slowly recovering from the horror of Link's dirty shoes, Zelda calls politely in a strong, clear voice, "Professor?"

No response.

"Professor?"

Still nothing.

Suppressing a sigh, she tries one last time.

"Professor Oakwood?"

"You know you can call me _Link_, Zelda," the man says dryly from across the large science lab, not even taking his eyes off of his paper.

A twinge of anger snaps in Zelda. She positively hates it when he does this to her. He'll pretend not to hear her as she addresses him in the _proper_ manner, and he'll wait until she mentions his first name before acknowledging her. Of course, he gives up relatively quickly because he understands that she won't surrender anytime soon. She just wishes he'd stop bugging her about it.

And, for the fiftieth time (literally), she responds in a monotone voice, "I am sorry, sir, I am simply uncomfortable addressing you so casually."

Though they have been over this a thousand times before (Link, however, has not been keeping track), Link mumbles mostly to himself, "I still don't understand why."

"It would be unprofessional. You are my boss and I am your secretary, nothing more and nothing less."

Link clenches his teeth, his golden hair hiding his aggravated countenance, and holds back another comment. He can't understand why it is so wrong for her to call him by his first name; does she ever take a break from such a "professional" lifestyle?

An awkward silence hovers in the air as Zelda waits for Link to respond. He says nothing but continues writing, taking out his frustration on the paper, while Zelda inwardly squirms again at the sight of his muddy boots so close to the equipment.

Thankfully, another rumble of thunder fills the emptiness and acts like a signal for Zelda to continue with her original notions. Walking up to Link's table, she holds out the paper bag and says to him in her polite tone of voice, "It is eight o'clock, sir, time for your dinner."

Link instantly looks up at her, all of his anger gone at the mention of food, and his brilliant blue eyes widen in surprise. "Eight o'clock already?" He marvels as he does everyday. "Thank goodness, I just realized I am starving!"

He sends her an appreciative smile before carefully taking the bag from her. She keeps her emotionless expression, not affected my Link's charming grin, and watches him start to search the bag's content.

"Would you like anything?" He asks kindly as he pulls out a deep red apple. Even though he does not get along with his secretary most of the time, he still understands that it is important to be polite. Their views may be different but at least she does her job well.

Zelda shakes her head, "No thank you, sir, but may I suggest you eat somewhere else? Maybe in the break room?"

Taking a loud bite of the apple, he quickly chews it and answers excitedly, "I am almost done with this piece of testing, perhaps even close to a break through!"

"That is good news," Zelda unenthusiastically congratulates him. "However, perhaps it would be a good idea if you took your feet off of the table. A recent study has shown that there are nine different species of bacteria on the bottom of shoes that can cause infections to the stomach, eyes, and lungs. It would be best if none of those infected the workplace."

Link, slightly embarrassed that she caught him breaking another lab rule (again), reluctantly brings his feet down and sits up in his chair. He is not quite as surprised as he used to be with Zelda's random knowledge on everything. No matter what the subject, she seems to always know something about it. She is the kind of girl who will bonk her head on a car door and say, "Ouch, my frontonasal suture!" rather than "Ouch, my forehead!"

As Link leans back in his chair and places his notebook on top of a stack of disorganized papers, Zelda clasps her hands together and begins to recite Link's schedule as she does everyday.

"Today's date is June 3rd and your younger sister Aryll is coming to spend the rest of the summer with you. Tomorrow -,"

"Oh my goddesses!" Link instantly blurts out. "I forgot to clean the place up for her! Ugh, now she won another bet."

Zelda, holding back a victorious smile of Link's loss, elaborates on the subject. "She will be arriving here shortly. Her plane landed about half an hour ago, she left a message saying she was on her way. I reminded you of this earlier today."

Link nods, slowly recovering from his failure, and waits for Zelda to continue.

Smoothing out her black skirt, she begins again, "Tonight at eight-thirty, Professor Ganondorf Dragmire is collecting a sample of the synthetic blood and he wants the reports too."

She pauses for a moment, giving Link a look that says _please tell me you did it_.

Link sends her a sheepish grin and responds meekly, "I forgot about that."

She takes a deep breath, trying not to become irritated by her boss. How in the world did he even get this job?

She knows the answer to that but hates to admit it. He got the job because he is a genius when it comes to genetics and chemicals and he knows a great deal about Ancient Hylian myths. He'd be the best worker if he would simply show a little more respect for his job.

Acting as if nothing has happened, she continues to report a few meetings he needs to attend in the upcoming days and Link nods along respectfully.

As soon as Zelda is done speaking, she goes to leave when the door to the lab suddenly swings opens. A young woman, around the age of twenty-one, sweeps in with a sweet smile across her face and her hands clasped behind her back. Her golden hair is drenched and her pigtails cling to her neck. Water drips down the side of her tan face, and her soaked light blue dress clings to her thin body. It looks like she could have just taken a shower with all of her clothes on; every inch of her is soaping wet.

Yet, despite this, she waves gleefully and cheerfully greets Link, "Hey, big brother! I bet you didn't realize how crazy the weather is out there right now, being stuck in a lab all day."

Link, placing the bag of food on the table, pushes himself from his chair and starts making his way towards his younger sister with a welcoming smile. "At least I'd have the smarts to bring an umbrella, or at least a rain coat," he teases. "It's nice to see you, Aryll!"

She chuckles as they embrace in a quick hug, Link not minding too much of how wet she is. Once they separate, Zelda instantly cuts in with her polite voice.

"Would you like something to dry off with, ma'am?" She offers as Aryll turns her cobalt eyes onto Link's secretary.

"Oh, no thank you," she smiles at Zelda while wiping her face. "I plan on heading back to Link's apartment soon, which _should _be clean."

"Are you sure, ma'am?" She instantly double checks.

Aryll laughs a singsong laugh and reassures Zelda, "I'll be fine, thank you. And there is no need to call me ma'am, I'm only twenty-one! You can call me Aryll and…you must be Zelda Harkarian, Link's secretary!" She exclaims, connecting the dots from the appearance of the woman before her and the e-mails from Link where he had described her personality.

Zelda simply nods while noting that wanting to be called by their first names must be some kind of family thing.

How annoying.

Another roar of thunder drums from overhead but this one is so loud that some of the vials clang against each other. Link snaps his eyes up, finally realizing how powerful the storm must be, while his companions don't take any notice to it. The storm has been going on for a while and they have gotten used to it.

The sound of the vials gently tapping each other sparks a question in Aryll's mind. Walking towards a nearby steel table, she bends over so her eyes are level with a small glass case of dark red liquid, almost blood color.

"So what exactly are you doing here, Link?" She questions curiously, still staring at the object and trying to figure out what it is. "When I asked through e-mail you said it was confidential and you weren't allowed to speak of it unless it was in person."

Link, already over his shock, asks as he travels towards his sister's side, "You know the myth with the Blue Eyed Beast, right?"

Aryll straightens up and looks at her brother incredulously but with a pleasant smile nevertheless. "Why would you even ask? Of course I know about it, I am an Ancient Hylian Myth major after all."

"Then maybe this may interest you," he begins to explain, a grin on his face. He's been waiting to tell Aryll his secret project for a while now and wants to know what she'll think of it. "Archeologists found remains of an animal in a tomb underneath the ground in Northern Hyrule. They discovered half of a bright blue eye, a thick strand of fur, a tiny piece of a claw, a tooth, part of a heart, and other internal organs. After studying the parts, the scientists discovered that each one used to have Twilit and Hylian blood in it. The only creature in history to have both races was the Blue Eyed Beast."

"Not necessarily," Zelda cannot help to add in, eager to be part of the conversation. Despite Link's and her differences, she finds the whole entire project fascinating and simply loves science in general. "People have tried breeding Twilits and Hylians but all the babies have died shortly."

"Yes," Link agrees, "but those babies don't have claws or fur…unless they are really messed up. I wonder if there is a disease for that…"

He glances towards Zelda, trusting that she would know the answer to another random fact, and she shakes her head. "Not that I am aware of."

Link nods once before returning to the main subject. "I was then contacted by this facility to try to recreate the Blue Eyed Beast and see if the legends are true and it would be great practice for future creatures -,"

"You are recreating the Blue Eyed Beast!" Aryll gasps. "Can you even do that? Isn't that immoral?"

Link hesitates, knowing how his sister is when it comes to doing the right thing, and he responds with his sheepish grin. "That is why the case is classified. If the public were to find out about it then there are sure to be riots about animal cruelty and religious junk. Yet if we can recreate the wolf, it would be a big step for science."

Aryll frowns and sends her brother and emotionless stare. Not sounding all too pleased, she responds, "But you were always against this, brother. You always hated people doing tests on the Twilits and now it seems like you are disrespecting their culture by experimenting on the creature that they worship."

Link sighs and looks down at his feet. He knew this would happen, he was just hoping that for once Aryll would look past doing the right thing and focus on the benefits his job gives. Who else will pay for her college?

He has been working on this project for about two years now and at first really hated it. Hyrule, the country they all live in, was separated into two parts a long, long time ago. Dark, phantom like creatures called Twilits lived in the Twilight and Hylians, humans with pointy ears, lived in the light world that was known as Hyrule. The two races loathed each other and it didn't take long for a war to brake out. It went on for ten years until the Hylians drove the Twilits away and back into the Twilight.

This, however, is all just myth but it is also a religion. And this religion takes up a huge part of Hyrule today. There is still a Twilight, which is a province of Hyrule near the desert where dark clouds always cover the sky so there is never any day, just an everlasting night. There are also Twilit people, and there is much tension between the Twilits and Hylians today like there was centuries ago. For decades the Hylians treated the other race like trash. The Twilits were the homeless and the prisoners. The only job they could get were the ones that nobody else wanted: cleaning the streets and sewers, washing clothes, breaking stones, and other revolting and dangerous tasks. Many of them were tested on like lab rats and used for war. Thankfully, when King Daphnes took over, he started a campaign to stop the racism. Today, Twilits and Hylians are classified as equal to each other, Twilits can have whatever jobs they want, and it is illegal to perform any kind of testing on them. Even though, many people are still against one another and there are not many Twilits left, it is actually rather rare to see one in public.

"You know I am highly against the ugly racism Hyrule has," Link reminds his sister seriously, gazing at her intensely.

"Then why are you doing it?" She persists with a look of pure confusion. No matter how old Aryll gets, she still has one innocent look that drives Link over the edge. She appears so naïve, the ignorance of childhood, and it makes Link's desire to protect her from everything as powerful as the sun's fire. That's the look she gives now: her blue eyes wide, her head tilted to the side just a bit, and her small mouth slightly open.

Fighting against his sister's innocent expression, Link confesses in a deflated voice, "Somebody has to pay for your college tuition."

Aryll instantly clamps her mouth shut and looks down at the floor, an awkward silence floating into the air. Zelda, on the other hand, has finally gotten a spark of interest out of the briefly dull conversation. It is similar to being in class during a boring lecture when a certain word would break through and spark a match inside of her, awakening her senses once again.

"Thankfully," Link sullenly adds as he picks up a large syringe full of the same crimson liquid in the jar while Zelda snaps out of her train of thought. "I have finished the DNA and will hopefully be done with this task soon."

Aryll, looking very guilty, opens her mouth to speak but doesn't even get the chance. The loudest rumble of thunder yet erupts from overhead, like a lion roaring before a kill. Link, Zelda, and Aryll can barely hear the vials clanging together over the clamor above their heads. The entire building shakes violently and their vision blurs with each sudden jerk their bodies involuntarily make.

Slightly off balanced, Link leans to the side and tries to stabilize himself against the steel table. Both of his hands reach for the edge without another thought…not once thinking about the syringe in his hand.

Through the din of thunder and tingling vials, a blood-curdling scream cuts through the air, drowning all the other noises out. It makes the two women cringe and cover their ears but that doesn't help at all. The cry is so powerful that it smashes into their ears and rings in their minds, the terrifying cry bouncing around in their heads. The scream carries on even after the thunder has ceased its roar, and it takes a moment or two for Zelda and Aryll to collect their bearings again. When they do, the scene before them is horrifying.

Link, the one who had propped his dirty shoes on top of the table so casually, is now on the ground in fetal position and tearing at his golden hair. Trembling incessantly, his face is twisted into one of pure torture. His eyes are squeeze shut and his endless screams fly out of his wide-open mouth. He feels like somebody is ripping his insides out of him, tugging at his heart and lungs like they are trying to disconnect them from the veins that hold them in place. Nausea rocks his stomach and his head throbs, as if he has been banging it against his desk for twenty minuets straight. All he can hear is his rapid heart pounding in his ears and his screams that vibrate in his mind.

Kneeling beside him, Aryll gently lays a quivering hand on her brother's arm and frantically shouts over his cries, "Link! Can you hear me? What's wrong?"

Zelda rushes over to the two and she bends over Link's unresponsive body. He continues to tug at his hair and his horrifying screams don't cease. "What happened?" She asks, panicking just a little bit, while trying to pry his hands away from his face.

He rocks his head back and forth, his elbows flying out and almost jabbing Zelda's eye. Instinctively, she pulls away and watches him rock back and forth as his screams become a little softer but still loud enough to act like a knife to Zelda's and Aryll's ears.

"I don't know!" Aryll practically sobs, the sight of her brother's torture sending her down a rollercoaster of terror and bewilderment. "I don't know…" she repeats in a whimper.

Zelda, not one to hesitate for anything, quickly notices a small hole in his forearm, a thin stream of blood trickling away from it…and a syringe lying on the floor inches from him.

Her eyes widen as the pieces fit together in less than a second. "Professor!" She calls out, his cries dying down into agonizing grunts. He stops rocking and, instead, he lies on his back, his body twisting this way and that, as if trying to escape a giant invisible hand that is wrapping around him.

"Pin him down, Aryll!" Zelda orders, not caring for manners at the moment. When Aryll doesn't make a move, just staring at her brother with watery eyes, Zelda tries again, "Aryll! Hold him down so I can check his pulse! If you want him to be okay then do as I say!"

They lock eyes for a moment, Zelda's full of intensity and determination and Aryll's of fear and worry. The college girl takes a deep breath, gives a curt nod, and then tackles her brother.

Link's body is still shaking uncontrollably though more severe than before. He jerks up and down and side to side; his head rolls in random directions and his back does leaps off of the ground. Aryll, fighting against her terror, presses her knee against his chest and uses her arms to pin down his hands. His fingers claw at the ground - a trapped dog trying to escape - and his electric blue eyes are as wide as an owl's but don't focus on anything.

Zelda instantly presses two fingers against the side of his neck and uses her free hand to hold his forehead to the ground to stop his head from jerking. She only keeps her fingers there for a few seconds because that is all she needs. His pulse is dangerously fast.

She does not know what the benefit of checking his pulse could possibly have been. Perhaps she did it just to make an illusion that she knows what she is doing. Or maybe she is simply trying to comfort the young woman. Either way, she must now face the conclusion that she is at a big as loss as Aryll is.

"Go call 911!" Zelda hastily orders as Link continues his thrashing and his grunts escape his mouth like barks. He continues to open and clamp his mouth, the sound of his teeth crashing together reminding Zelda of a threatened beast.

Aryll nods once before dashing off for the nearest phone, which happens to be outside in Zelda's office.

With Aryll's hold released, Link's body is free to move around and he begins rolling away. Zelda lunges out and grips his side but she is smacked away when his hand slaps her arm away with surprising strength.

She falls to the side and another ear-piercing scream tears through her ears. Sitting up more, she watches with wide eyes as Link arches his back, his hands shaped like talons in front of his face, and a long, deafening cry escapes his wide-open mouth.

And then, in just an instant, his scream turns into something more…something like a howl.

The howl bounces off the white walls and rings in her ears. She clutches her head, the noise giving her the worst headache of her life, but never once do her eyes leave his body. How could they ever turn away from such an odd and terrifying transformation?

It moves like a black river, drenching him from the top of his head and then flowing down the rest of his body in a blink of an eye. His nose extends into a long snout and his golden hair turns jet black and grows out into spikes. Matching fur quickly covers every part of his body and his curled hands grow into large, white paws. A ripping sound joins his howl and Zelda sees his clothes falling off of him in tatters as his furry body begins to expand. The last thing to join his metamorphosis is a puffy tail that sends shivers up her spine when it skims her knee.

The room suddenly grows quiet, Zelda's panting breath the only noise as she stares at the animal lying before her. His black fur is sleek and thick; his sides tan colored and his underbelly a soft gray. Mouth hanging open, Zelda can see his dagger like teeth that gleam underneath the blinding lights. His eyes are closed and his chest rises and falls in a steady rhythm. He's asleep.

As if it isn't enough to see her boss in the form of a wolf, it completely blows her away the second her eyes land on the white symbol on his forehead. It is similar to a diamond encasing another tiny diamond, and the bottom of the bigger one stretches halfway down his snout. Two dots, almost horizontal apostrophes, are above each of his closed eyes.

She's seen that before…in her textbooks, on religious banners, movies, and at her workplace. It is the exact same symbol that is said to be on the Sacred Beast's forehead.

And Link's new form looks _exactly_ like the creature he was trying to create: the Blue Eyed Beast.

"ZELDA!" Aryll's cry sounds from behind the door, but all Zelda can hear is the sound of her own pounding heart and her companion's approaching footsteps.

Breathless, Aryll dashes through the door and rapidly explains in a shaky voice, "None of the phones are working, I don't know what to do! Is Link doing any better…?"

She trails off then, both of their eyes fixed on the animal lying unconscious before their feet.

A long silence follows, both of them completely clueless. The DNA should not have had this affect on anybody, especially the way it changed Link. How long will he be this way? Is there any hope of healing him? Will he even be able to stay alive long?

Aryll suddenly falls to her knees beside her transfigured brother. Shaking from head to toe, she cautiously places a hand on his shoulder, feeling his soft fur underneath her fingers. His strong heartbeat drums against her palm. At least he's alive…

"Link?" She whispers meekly. "Can you hear me? Can you understand me? Link?"

The wolf just continues lying on his side, the sound of his deep breathing and the rain's drum roll filling the silence.

Taking a calming breath, Aryll turns her large cobalt eyes onto Zelda. "What should we do now?" She asks faintly as her shoulder's shag and soaking strands of her hair clings to her cheeks.

Zelda bites her lip while staring at the animal. A thousand thoughts rush through her head, each one connecting to the other like magnets, until a plan forms in her mind.

"Whatever you do, do _not_ call 911," She begins strictly before explaining her reasoning. "The experiment Professor Oakwood was working on is highly confidential, informing the police would make things worse. There is always somebody who will slip up and tell somebody else, and before you know it, the whole world will hear of how the Sacred Beast has returned.

"I'm debating on whether or not we should inform Professor Oakwood's boss, Professor Dragmire, but…"

"But what?" Aryll persists eagerly, her cobalt eyes wide and watery.

Zelda shakes her head and sighs, "I know it is not professional of me, but there is something about him that simply makes me not able to trust him. I shouldn't put my personal feelings in front of my work -,"

"No," Aryll disagrees instantly. "We Oakwoods believe in our instincts and if you do not like him then we should not take the risk. Though I don't know much about what you guys have been working with, I am pretty sure Link wasn't supposed to get injected with that stuff. If this Dragmer -,"

"Dragmire," Zelda corrects.

" – Hears about Link in this state then he might totally flip out. Link told me it took a long time to make just one drop of the DNA, having to create it all again would be bad on his career…and I'm going to trust your instincts that this guy isn't trustworthy."

Zelda nods slowly as Aryll continues to gently pet her brother's arm, blinking away some tears. "Then our other option is to take Link back to his place," Zelda reasons. "We can try to revive him there or think of a better plan...all I know is that staying here much longer is not a good idea if we want to keep everything secret."

Aryll stares at her brother's crescent on his forehead as she replies in a stronger voice, gaining strength from Zelda's confidence. "If that's the case, I don't think Link's apartment will be best. He lives in the middle of the city and the walls are paper-thin. If he starts barking or howling, people are going to hear and he isn't even supposed to have pets. I am surprised nobody has come yet at the sound of Link's screaming – "

"The walls are soundproof."

Shaking her head, Aryll dismisses the thought and mumbles, "Maybe…well, where do you live?"

Zelda's face pales considerably at the question and an awkward stillness grows between them. She is pretty sure that bringing her unconscious boss and his sister back to her house is _definitely_unprofessional…then again...these are very different circumstances.

"I live on the outskirts of town in a small house. I have one neighbor but she's very old and can barely hear anything," Zelda admits somewhat reluctantly.

"I know it's a lot to ask," Aryll begins hesitantly as her fingers wrap around a thick strand of black fur. "But could you…?"

"Of course," Zelda answers instantly and a grateful smile spreads across her companion's face.

Then the room's stillness is suddenly annihilated at the sound of somebody knocking – more like pounding – on the door. Their breath catches in their throats and, mouths hanging open, they stare at the source of the noise with terrified eyes and rapidly beating hearts.

"Hello? Professor Link? Miss. Zelda? Is anybody there?" A deep, baritone voice questions with a hint of annoyance from the other side. Zelda recognizes the tone instantly and shivers crawl down her back. It must be eight thirty…

"Who is it?" Aryll questions under her breath.

"Professor Dragmire."

"Crap."

Ganondorf loudly knocks a few more times on the door. _Oh goddesses_, she thinks frantically. _What to do…what to do…_

"Help me push him in here, please," Zelda asks softly yet rapidly and, even in such a crisis situation, remembers to be polite.

Without a sound, Aryll begins pushing against Link's side as Zelda swings open the closet door to her right. She shoves files and boxes out of the way until she makes an area big enough for the large wolf. During this time, Ganondorf warns them in his aggravated and smug voice, "Open up or I am going to come in myself. You know how I hate to intrude on private business."

Zelda practically crawls over to Aryll to help her move the beast. The sister has moved about an inch in all of this time and her goal is five inches. There is no way they will get him hidden in time.

"You stall," Aryll grunts as she leans against Link's side with her shoulder, her face scrunched together in concentration and agony. "I…got this."

Zelda, knowing that they have probably a second before Ganondorf enters, follows the order and rushes towards the door. In just a moment, she smoothes out her skirt and blouse while opening the door a mere crack and steps out into the hallway in one swift motion.

With a friendly smile, Zelda closes the door shut and stares up at the tall man only inches away from her. She hides her disgust at how close they are: her back against the door and his giant body blocking her from moving anywhere.

"Sorry," she apologizes sweetly; however, even the quick-witted Zelda cannot think of a good cover story. "The professor…is…um…"

"He's what?" Ganondorf snaps as he takes a large step backwards. A small bit of relief rushes through Zelda, grateful not to feel like a caged animal anymore.

She looks up at him and notices how the light casts a dark shadow across his gray face. His beady yet fierce yellow eyes stare at her incredulously and his bright orange hair is glowing like a fire. It is curly, wavy, and thick all in one and ends a bit past his square jaw.

Zelda has seen this man many times before, he is Link's boss after all, and he cares much more about his work than Link does. Under his lab coat he always wears neat suits; the creases where the folds have been are still evident in his shirts, and his shoes are always shinning. His overly large muscles bulge through his clothes, like a woman squeezing into a dress that is ten sizes too small. With his flaming red hair and large size, he can be spotted anywhere and is easily annoyed if somebody cannot take him seriously because he is a ginger, though that is very rare.

Though he may seem like the perfect person for Zelda's liking – with his neatness and diligence for his job – there is something about him that throws her off. He's always polite in front of his employees though his smile never seems to reach his eyes. She doesn't even know if it should be considered a smile, it is more of a smirk in her opinion.

Then the rumors spread around. After Zelda's first month at her job as Link's secretary, she was already annoyed with him and was eagerly looking at the opening as Ganondorf's secretary. She was talking with the other workers at the break room about it when, thankfully, they strongly advised her against it. Over the course of one year, Ganondorf has had twenty-two different secretaries. Why they go? There are millions of theories but Zelda doesn't want to find out the hard way.

And now the man is standing in front of her, her eyes level with his massive chest and his piercing eyes pin her against the door. His normal polite "smile" is not on his face right now and his fingers drum on the side of his leg as his nostrils flare out, as if a bull ready to charge.

Swallowing nervously, Zelda ponders on how she has never seen him so -

"Well?" He snaps, cutting her train of thought. "Where is he?"

Just then the door Zelda is leaning on swings open, causing the woman to stumble backwards. A small hand grabs onto her arm and manages to hold her steady.

Feeling more astonished at Ganondorf's frustration rather than her embarrassment for almost falling over (which is _so_ unprofessional), Zelda quickly straightens herself out again and regains her composure. However, by the looks of it, she does not need to intervene quite yet.

"I'm sorry," Aryll takes a step closer, slipping her hand off of Zelda's arm while an adorable smile spreads across her face. "I am Link's sister and, unfortunately, he had to leave suddenly. You just missed him –"

"He does know I need the DNA _now_, doesn't he?" Ganondorf retorts in an almost growl. "Surely he has not forgotten?" At this he snaps his yellow gaze to Zelda, instantly blaming the problem on the secretary.

The laboratory door is wide open and Zelda glances in, looking for any clue that could show a sign of Link's presence. Everything appears perfectly normal and there is no sign of a struggle, even the ripped clothes are gone. After a moment, she stands up tall and holds her head high before answering in her work voice, "At the last moment, the professor realized that something was flawed with the DNA. He has to go home to prepare for his younger sister's arrival but he is going to work on the serum all tonight and tomorrow –,"

"Tomorrow?" Ganondorf hisses. "I said _today_."

Although Zelda is shocked to see Ganondorf's irascible behavior for the first time, she does not show it. Her face is placid, a lake on a cloudless day, and her speech is lucid.

"He deeply apologizes but promises to have the DNA ready as soon as possible."

Ganondorf sighs loudly and rubs his temples. Closing his eyes, he mumbles something incoherent and each individual has a different thought going through his or her minds.

Zelda remembers seeing one of Ganondorf's old secretary's sprinting out of the building crying one winter afternoon. Now she understands why.

Aryll is simply grateful that she listened to Zelda. There is no way she is going to ever trust her brother's life in the meaty hands of the man before her.

"I suppose there is nothing I can do now," Ganondorf groans in defeat as he opens his eyes and crosses his arms. With one last glare, he demands icily, "Just let him now that I am not happy with him. Not happy at all."

Zelda nods and says, unfazed, "Of course, sir."

Without another word, Ganondorf spins on his heels and marches out of the small office, his flaming hair the last thing the two women see before releasing small sighs of relief.

"That was a close one," Aryll breathes, her charming smile already faded.

"Yes," Zelda agrees with her arms limp at her side. "But we need to get the professor out of here as soon as possible. We will need something to carry him in…"

A wide grin spreads across Aryll's face and her cobalt eyes gleam mischievously. "One step ahead of you," is all she says before dashing back into the lab. Seconds later, she ambles out of the room with a large suitcase rolling behind her.

Zelda's mouth drops in awe at the sight of it. Of course! Why didn't she think of that? Link had once gone on a business trip and, when he returned, he went straight back to work without even returning home first. He left his suitcase at the laboratory and Zelda had given up on trying to force him to take it home.

"That is very good thinking, Miss. Oakwood," Zelda praises her as she tries to peer through the small part left open to act as a breathing hole. She cannot see anything, it's completely dark in there.

Perfect.

"Should we get going?" Aryll questions. "Or should we get any more supplies…like dog food."

"Wolves eat big game, such as elk and moose, but they can also eat worms, grasshoppers, and berries," Zelda informs her companion without any hesitation.

Aryll's face twists into one of disgust, her nose wrinkling, as she remarks, "I don't think Link is going to want to eat any of that."

Zelda shakes her head, the gears spinning in her brain, "We will figure that out later," she decides while stepping around Aryll and back into the lab. "But, now that you mention it, I think we should retrieve a few more items before departing."

"Alright," Aryll agrees as she follows her new companion, "what do you need?"

"I think we should take the Canis Ater capillus, the blue trentonomous sicogliceneral, the nycho, the tooth, the cardia, and the rest of the organs."

Aryll just stands there, rigid with her mouth hanging open and her blue eyes wide as Zelda searches the room for the items on the long list she just recited.

"Um…" Aryll mumbles, "what?"

Grabbing a box full of files, Zelda quickly pulls the papers out and neatly places them on the desk. High heels clopping, she rushes over to the table Link was working at earlier and begins carefully putting vials and glass cases inside of the plastic box.

"I mean," Zelda starts to say, her speech in bits as she focuses on arranging everything correctly. "The fur…the blue eye and the…bit of claw and…tooth, heart, and other organs."

"Oh," Aryll answers meekly before joining Zelda to place the valuables in the container. "Why do we need these?"

Zelda hesitates for a moment, staring at the box and pondering on her decision. What she is doing is very risky and she doesn't even know if her disrespectful boss deserves her help. He isn't a bad guy, but it is not like he has been amazing to her.

Yet…the way Ganondorf acted troubles her and the memory won't leave her alone. The sound of his aggravated voice, the way his yellow eyes flicked back and forth…she cannot get it out of her mind, a buzzing fly that never leaves.

Releasing a deep sigh, Zelda explains softly, "For one thing, I did not like how Professor Dragmire was acting. Another, if the professor ever awakens then maybe he will be able to figure out a way to cure himself with these."

"But what if Link remains a wolf?" Aryll counters with concern.

"I am not sure," Zelda shakes her head in defeat, "I just have this feeling that we should."

Nodding, Aryll lets the older blonde know that she trusts her instincts. They were right about Ganondorf the first time and are probably very reliable.

Zelda quickly lines the side of the box with slim files, hiding the clear case's content. In a matter of minutes, Zelda and Aryll rapidly yet casually march out of the door, the suitcase rolling behind Aryll, and Zelda's hands grip the box until her knuckles are white.

As they enter the elevator, sweet instrumental music floating into their ears, Zelda cannot help but rethink her decisions once more. Though she did not mention it to Aryll, she can get fired for stealing specimens and she _cannot_ lose this job. She needs the money more than anything, so why is she risking it for her boss that she loathes so much?

Of course it is because she cannot simply leave anybody in such a dangerous situation. If the public ever found out about what is going on in the laboratory, there would be many riots. Not only that, but Ganondorf Dragmire is crushing her thoughts. There is no deadline for the project yet he seemed so frantic. Something isn't right.

Everything has an antonym. This is a very common fact that anybody who knows the definition of "antonym" should understand. Though Zelda forgets another commonly known rule.

Opposites attract.

_Author's Note:_

_Aw, a nice ending, don't you think? Well, I thought it was pretty good. :-)_

_So a lot happened in this first chapter: we met our main characters (Link, Zelda, and Aryll), Link turned into a wolf, Ganondorf is Link's boss and seems to be unreasonably annoyed with the lack of DNA, and now they are going to Zelda's house. I hope you like my characters because I thought a lot on how I would portray them, Link and Zelda especially. Do you think I did well with the "show don't tell" thing?_

_You may have noticed that Zelda has a tendency to repeat the most random facts in the world; she seems a little too smart for a secretary, right? (Oh God, I am hinting too much aren't I?). Well, I am not making up any of the facts. I got them all from somewhat reliable websites (I say "somewhat" because you never really know if a website is reliable), and that is why I am leaving a bibliography at the end of every chapter. I'm actually doing lots of research for this and I feel the people deserve some credit._

_I would also like to mention that I do no work in a top secret lab, so I'm not entirely sure how one would look or act like. If you somehow know (or at least have relative knowledge of a lab) then please let me know. It would be very useful! :D_

_Sorry for talking so much again, I promise I won't blab like I do now for the upcoming chapters. Please let me know what you think either by review or PM! I will try my hardest to respond to you, the only time I normally don't respond is if somebody leaves an anonymous review and I cannot find them on search. So please let me know what you think and thanks for reading!_

_~~Wave~~_

Works Cited

Cosley, Katishia. "Hidden Germs Lurking on the Bottom of Your Shoes - KIAH."

_Houston News - Houston Weather - Houston Sports - KIAH_. 22 Oct. 2009. Web. 26 Jan. 2010.

http://www./news/local/kiah-dirtyshoes-story,0,.

"What Do Wolves Eat - Diet." _Wolf Web - the home of wolves! - Home_. Web. 26 Jan. 2010.

..

"Wolf Facts - Communication." _Wolf Web - the home of wolves! - Home_. Web. 26 Jan. 2010.

..

"Wolf Facts." _Moving to Alaska ? Everything you need to know_. Web. 28 Jan. 2010.

.net/~wolfsong/wolf_.


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's Note_

_Oh my gosh, I am extremely, EXTREMELY sorry that it took me so long to update! It has almost been a month since I posted the first chapter. O.O I hate school, it's always in the way of everything! And, because of my long absence, I decided to post a quick paragraph at the beginning of every new chapter to very briefly explain the major plot jumps from the previous chapter. So without further ado…_

_Previously on Rivers Need Springs_

_Link is a scientist in a top-secret lab and Zelda is his secretary. Link's sister, Aryll (who is in college), drops by the lab to visit for the summer and then Link accidentally stabs himself with a syringe of synthetic wolf blood, and he transforms into an ancient creature called the Blue-Eyed-Beast. Zelda and Aryll then lie to Link's boss, Ganondorf Dragmire, and say that Link found something wrong with the blood but had to go home to fix it and will have the new one ready in two days. The two women devise a plan to take Link back to Zelda's house until they can think of something better to do._

_And that's what you need to know for Rivers Need Springs._

_Before we begin, I'd also like to thank you all for your awesome 15 reviews! I loved reading them all and responded to every single one (unless you were anonymous and I couldn't find you in search, sorry). They really make my day, so thanks again!_

_

* * *

_FRIDAY

* * *

Chapter Two – Zelda the Ice Woman

Rain comes down in torrents on the city of Castle Town and water floods the streets, creating waterfalls that pour into sewers and off the sides of buildings. Lightning illuminates the sky as Zelda drives away from the heart of the city and to the outskirts of where she lives. Her windshield wipers snap back and forth rapidly and her headlights reflect off of puddles; twilight is already upon them and it is quickly fading into a moonless night.

The drive from the laboratory to Zelda's home is a long and tense twenty minutes. Link's wolf body is still encased in the suitcase and the bag containing him rests in the back seat. Aryll constantly looks over her shoulder, as if to make sure it won't run away. Of course the luggage isn't going anywhere, Link is still asleep after all, though she cannot help it.

After those twenty minutes of driving, Zelda finally turns the corner and onto her street. Her entire road feels like an oasis from the chaotic city life. There are no other cars driving about and the residents are all tucked in their houses, hiding from the rampaging storm. Each small building - all with only one level - has lawns and garages, and they are not cramped next to each other. As they drive to the end of the street, Aryll cannot help but think that it's the best spot to keep her brother, compared to the city at least. They doubt that these walls will mute his possible howls or barks, though it's better than the paper-thin walls of Link's home.

"A wolf's howl can travel for several miles, though it works best if the animal is in a forest or a tundra environment," Zelda had informed Aryll earlier when the young woman had voiced her concerns. Though it seemed that Zelda was trying to comfort her, it didn't help much.

Now they are pulling into a short driveway to a small, light blue bungalow. Large, fluffy bushes act as a wall in front of the house, covering most of the windows. Stone steps travel between two of these shrubs in the center of the lot and up to the white front door. As they slowly drive into the garage, Aryll catches a peak of the tops of trees that must stand behind the house. If worse comes to worse, Link will always have room to run around like a playful puppy.

As the garage door closes with a rumble, Zelda turns to Aryll and explains, "I'm going to take the specimens and put them in the freezer while you can get your suitcase out of the trunk. I'll come back and we can both get the professor."

Aryll nods, still a bit shaken from the whole turn of events, and hands over the box of specimens to Zelda.

"They weren't in a freezer earlier," she mentions.

"That's because," Zelda starts to reply as she pushes the car door open with her foot. "Your brother wasn't exactly following the rules."

Aryll sends her friend a half smile, "Link's been known to do that. I just hope we can save him."

"Don't worry, Aryll," Zelda reassures her with a small grin. "The professor will be fine, maybe this transformation will wear off soon and he'll be normal again."

Aryll opens her mouth to reply but no words come out. She suddenly freezes, staring at Zelda, before a large grin spreads across her face.

"You called me by my first name!" She cries gleefully. "Before you called me 'ma'am' or 'Miss. Oakwood'."

Zelda lets out a very small laugh, slightly embarrassed for being unprofessional for once, and responds with a shrug. "Well, you are not my boss and I guess things are a bit different now. Though, if you don't mind, I have to store these properly. We don't want anything happening to them."

Aryll nods vigorously and tells Zelda to go right ahead. Not needing to be told twice, Zelda quickly rushes inside as Aryll gets out of the car and heads for the trunk to retrieve her bag. Before the two had left, Aryll had grabbed her suitcase from the lobby of the research building where Link works. The secretary there wouldn't let her bring it down to Link's lab earlier, and the only way they got by on their way out was because Zelda knew the lady always left at that time to flirt with one of the workers in the break room.

Aryll then rolls her suitcase through the door and into a narrow hallway with dark wooden floors and white walls. Traveling down the corridor, she notices the many photographs that line the walls and a plant is in almost every corner. She's tempted to peek into one of the many doors she passes, but restrains herself and only stops when she finally reaches the living room.

It is a simple square with a soft dark green rug and more white walls. The lighting is dim, the only lamp on is one tucked away in the corner next to a wide screen television. In front of that is a black leather couch shaped like a large "L" with one half of it resting against another wall. A clear glass coffee table stands between the sofa and the television, and a silver Mac laptop sits on top of that.

To Aryll's right, Zelda walks through an open brown door and tells Aryll she can just leave her suitcase there for now. They then return to the garage and try their best to hull the bag Link's body is in without dropping it. They manage to carry it out of the car and into the living room, though it takes another twenty minutes. Once they finally pull Link out and place him carefully on the sofa, Aryll collapses next to him and groans,

"How much do wolves weigh again?"

Zelda, taking a deep breath, responds, "I think from 85 to 115 pounds for males, though the professor has definitely transformed into a different species."

"I wonder what would happen if we let him loose through the city streets. Maybe some people would bow down to him," Aryll muses before adding with a tiny grin, "But that wouldn't help his ego."

"Well," Zelda begins with a tired sigh, "if he does wake up and remain a wolf, then I think it is best that he does not leave this house. I do not want to know what would happen if people saw an ancient and religious creature roaming the city."

Aryll nods as she begins to pet Link's neck. Her hand hesitates for a moment and her fingers press into his fur until it touches his skin. "I feel a heartbeat," she mutters and lets her hand rise and fall with each deep breath Link takes. "And he's breathing, that's good."

Zelda nods and allows herself to let a small smile show. Though her and her boss do have their differences, she is warmed by the affection that he and his sister share.

Though as she watches the siblings, she begins to wonder what to do with them. She knows she'll welcome Aryll to the guest room but Link is another problem. Although she prefers him as a sleeping dog right now (he cannot bother her this way), she does need to help him but her knowledge in science is limited. Should she try to wake him up or simply let him sleep? What if he falls into some kind of coma? Can wolves even go into coma? For once the knowledgeable Zelda does not know a random fact and it deflates her mood.

"What do you think we should do?" Aryll asks, looking at her companion with her innocent blue eyes.

Zelda shifts her weight from foot to foot and stares down at the ground. Releasing another sigh, she comes to the conclusion that she cannot pretend to know everything forever.

"I'm sorry, but I honestly don't know what to do. I'm a mere secretary, not a scientist like your brother," she admits, keeping her eyes downcast.

There is a moment of silence and Zelda hears Aryll shifting around on the couch. Before she knows it, the college girl has placed a gentle hand on Zelda's shoulder. Zelda snaps her head up and looks down at Aryll's smiling face.

"Don't worry, Zelda," Aryll reassures her with a sweet grin. "You've done a lot for us already, thank you. We can just let Link rest for now and check on him every hour or so."

Already feeling a bit more confident, Zelda raises her head high and straightens out. She sends Aryll an appreciative smile before suggesting what they can do in the mean time.

"We can go to your room, which will be the guest room, and I could show you the rest of the house. You are then welcome to unpack or shower while I make us some dinner. Does that sound good to you?"

Aryll nods and replies, "Yep, I just wish we could help Link out more, though there is only so much a college kid studying myths can do." She shrugs with a sheepish grin on her face, very similar to Link's, while Zelda's mouth suddenly drops open and her eyes grow wide.

The words _a college kid studying myths_ repeats in her mind and her mind starts working overtime, different trains of thoughts attaching to each other to make a plan.

"Maybe we can do something…" Zelda mumbles to herself as she spins around and picks up the silver laptop.

Aryll's grin falls and she gazes at her new friend quizzically. "What do you mean?"

"Well," Zelda begins to explain, excitement building up in her voice as she sits down on the couch in a spot that is farthest away from Link's sleeping body. "If the professor turned into the Blue Eyed Beast – which means the creature had to exist at some point – then maybe the stories are true too."

"Zelda," Aryll starts to reason, suppressing a chuckle. "They are myths, they aren't real."

Opening up the computer, the screen illuminates her face in a white glow. As she creates an Internet window, she responds, "I know, but maybe we could get some ideas? I may not have a PhD, but it is the least we can do."

Holding back a sigh, Aryll figures that Zelda has a point (and also wonders if her friend is having some kind of break down) and joins her on the couch.

"In case you forgot, I am an Ancient Hylian Myth major. I am probably more reliable than the Internet." Aryll reminds Zelda, as she slouches down on the couch.

"Do not worry, I haven't forgotten your valuable knowledge. I only opened the Internet if we need to research something science related."

"I don't mean to be rude…" Aryll mumbles with a half smile. "But how can we work on empty stomachs and in drenched clothes? If you are going to do this right, you are going to have to do it college style."

Zelda turns her suspicious gaze to her friend's mischievous one before questioning, "And how exactly do you do that?"

"We'll both throw on some sweats, wash off any make up, get some food brewing, and _then_ we can research. Don't get me wrong, I really want to help my brother, though I'd feel much better doing it this way."

Zelda hesitates for a moment, biting her lip, before giving in and agreeing with her. Although she can wait a bit longer before "relaxing," Aryll has been on a plane all day and got drenched with rain before, the least Zelda can do is let the young woman get comfortable before they delve into more serious matters.

Beaming, Aryll leads Zelda away from the laptop and into another room as Zelda wonders if all college kids do this or if it is just Aryll. Either way, Zelda changes from her tight clothing and into light blue pajama pants and a baggy white t-shirt. After washing away the small amount of make up she has on, Zelda releases her bun and lets her golden hair cascade down, ending at the small of her back. Aryll wears pink shorts and a yellow tank top that corresponds alarming well with her tan skin. To Zelda, Aryll couldn't be any brighter colored. Her eyes are an ocean blue and her hair is beach blonde; it is a nice contrast to the storm roaring outside and the anxiety of Link's earlier transformation.

Both returning to the living room, Zelda cannot help but gaze at her defenseless boss for a second. He is just as they had left him: a wolf lying on its side and in a deep slumber. She wishes he'd wake up soon, for his sister's sake.

Aryll plops down on the couch, her legs tucked underneath her, and she leans casually against a large leather pillow. Two plates of quickly made pasta rest on the table before them with two coffee cups next to those. Zelda sits down beside her, her back straight and her head still held high like a proud cat. Placing the laptop back on top of her legs, the two finally get serious into what they are doing.

"So," Zelda begins, "got any legends that may help us?"

"Well…" Aryll ponders aloud, her thoughtful gaze directed at Link's sleeping body. "It was said that the Blue Eyed Beast could change forms from human to wolf using the _Malus Umbro_, which translates to 'evil shadow.' Maybe if we knew what it was made of, we could find a way to help Link."

"You wouldn't happen to know what it's made of, would you?" Zelda inquires hopefully but already knows the answer from Aryll's shrugging shoulders.

"The legends say Twilit magic from the evil king's heart who cursed him, but that doesn't really help us much. It is only myth after all."

Taking a deep breath, Zelda begins typing something in Google's search bar and reasons, "It's the best we got. We might as well start somewhere."

And with that, their long night of practically hopeless research begins.

* * *

SATURDAY

* * *

Very early the next morning, the sky is transforming into a misty blue, the way it gets after a storm. Everything is quiet, not a single raindrop thuds on the ground, like the entire world is in a deep sleep. It is a huge contrast to the city, which acts as an endless buzzing fly and the honks are rampaging elephants, but the street that Zelda lives on is a quiet forest. And inside a house in this quiet forest, at around six in the morning, a black wolf is finally awakening for its long slumber.

He still lies on the couch in the very position he was thirteen hours ago: resting on his side with his eyes closed peacefully. Yet, like most normal beings, he has to stir sometime and it _just_ so happens to be minutes before sunrise.

His cloudy mind begins to work again and his senses turn on like a light switch, everything becomes clear to him in an instant. Suddenly, he starts panting heavily and his nose is cold and wet – a clear indication that it is far too hot for him at the moment.

And as he starts to fidget, twitching his nose and ears, more feeling comes back to him. A thousand sounds explode in his ear and different smells strike his nose. Everything is so sudden that it sends Link over the edge (literally). He lets out a short bark and throws himself up…only to trip over his four paws and collapse off the couch, slamming his back on the ground below. His blue eyes are wide open now, staring at the white ceiling in terror as he tries to ease his hectic mind.

Taking deep breaths, he focuses on calming his powerful senses. He can hear two steady beats of _thud thud_'s, similar to a heartbeat, and a pair of shallow breathing of sleeping people. The sound of a car honking comes from the distance and, just for a second, surpasses the hum of the computer. The smell of tomatoes, lilies, salt, and cleaning chemicals invade his highly sensitive nose, causing it sting and making him dizzy momentarily.

Then the strangest thing happen; without even thinking, Link moves his ears so the tips of them are focused toward the ceiling rather than being flat on his head and open to the rest of the world. Flaring his nostrils and closing them again, he manages to force out the bitter scent of chemicals and tomatoes and let two much more pleasing smells linger in his nose: lilies and the salty tang, as if he is by an ocean in a field of flowers.

Letting out a small sigh, Link rolls over and tries to push himself up to stand like a normal human. His front paws press to the floor and he shoves himself off the ground and puts all of his weight on his hind legs.

Before he can even reach his full height, his legs wobble and then give out underneath him. He falls back to the ground headfirst with another loud bark, one that bounces off the walls and into the ears of the two sleeping women.

Aryll lays sprawled out in the corner of the L shaped couch while Zelda sleeps like she is sitting on an airplane: upright and with her head resting uncomfortably on her shoulder. Her laptop is wide open and rests on her thighs, the monitor is black but working because it is plugged in. Papers lie scattered across the coffee table, each one covered in Aryll's bubbly hand writing or Zelda's curvy, elegant one. Before Link woke up, everything was peaceful, but his second bark managed to shove through Zelda's idle brain and provoke her just a little bit. Aryll, being a typical college girl, sleeps straight through it.

Eyes still closed, Zelda moves her head around to try to get the aches out of her neck. Link manages to stand on all fours and stares at his _paws_ with his mouth hanging open and his breath hitched in his throat. He remembers the thunder, the syringe, and then the torment that had soon followed. Swishing his tail and shuffling his paws, he can barely accept what has become of him. _I'm a furry dog…a dog!_

As these thoughts rush through his head, Zelda finally open up her eyes and stretches her arms, her back cracking with the movement and it makes her smile. Not fully awake yet, Zelda places the laptop on the coffee table and stands up, running a hand through her long blonde hair and giving a small yawn.

The noise bombards Link's ears like a canon and he lets out a loud yelp, jumping backwards and tripping on his own feet once again.

Zelda also cries out in alarm, as if they are playing some odd game to see who can startle the other more, and she stumbles backwards. By this time, Aryll rolls over on her side and mumbles something about the dining hall not being open yet.

"P-p-professor?" Zelda stutters, one hand resting on her rapidly beating heart and the other on the back of the couch.

Link recognizes her voice instantly and he somehow figures out how to stand on all fours without tripping again. Taking a few steps forward, Link's wolf form emerges from the shadows behind the coffee table and into the small amount of light coming from the early morning mist from outside.

Zelda gazes at the animal before her with her mouth agape and her eyes wide. It was much easier for her to look at him when he was asleep; his piercing blue eyes were not staring into hers like they do now.

Then something sparks in her mind. What if, like in those werewolf movies, her boss does not remember her? What if he is an aggressive beast who lusts for the taste of blood? If this is true, it is definitely not a good thing that this possibly raging monster is walking freely in her house.

With newfound fear, Zelda slowly begins inching her way towards Aryll's sleeping form. Link's ears point up and his head tilts to the side. He listens to her heartbeat for a second and notices it is increasing, along with her once steady breathing. What is wrong with her? And more importantly, where are they and why is she here?

"Aryll…" Zelda whispers to her companion as Link's cobalt eyes dance across the room, taking in everything around him. The pale morning light bathes the place in a misty blue and he has to let his eyes adjust to the dimness.

While Link takes notice of the soft, dark green carpet under his feet and an old looking wooden bookcase tucked away in the corner, Zelda inches towards Aryll a little more. With her eyes glued onto the wolf before her, she hesitantly reaches a hand out and nudges Aryll's foot.

"Aryll…" Zelda mutters again, "Get up please."

Hearing the worry dripping from her friend's voice, Aryll forces herself to sit up on the couch. "What's wrong?" She asks, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

Link has never been more confused in his entire life than what he had happened to him in the course of a night, so when he finally hears a familiar voice that he loves, he can't help but wag his tail and bound over to her. He squeezes between Zelda and the coffee table and stops next to the couch with his tongue hanging out and he continues to pant heavily. He was planning on jumping and playfully tackling his sister, but thought better of it since he can barely run without collapsing.

"LINK!" Aryll squeals and throws her arms around her brother's furry neck. Giggling with delight, she cheers, "You're alive! You're okay…well, sort of." She starts laughing at his as her hug becomes tighter. "I don't think your okay if you're a wolf but whatever, I'm just happy you aren't in a coma or something!"

While Link and Aryll separate, Zelda stands awkwardly right next to them, simply relieved that her boss hasn't become a complete monster, aside from being a monster of laziness and disrespect. Normally she tries not to have such bitter thoughts about people, though her mood just became a little sour at the site of a thousand strands of black fur sticking to her couch. It is not until now that she realizes how burning hot Link must be, and that is why he is panting uncontrollably. With all of that fur, it is a wonder that he didn't overheat while he was sleeping.

"Can you understand me, brother?" Aryll asks a little slower than normal, as if talking to a child.

Link nods his head vigorously before snapping his gaze to Zelda with his piercing sapphire eyes. She had never thought his gaze to be so intimidating; it is probably his new form that sends chills down her spine.

He thrusts his head in her direction and continues shifting his gaze from her to Aryll. It takes a moment for his sister to realize what he is getting at.

"Oh," she holds it out for a second before clarifying, "You are wondering why we are here…and why Zelda is here."

Link goes to respond but is alarmed to find his voice a booming bark. Zelda and Aryll flinch at this, both hoping that nobody heard the noise.

"Before I tell you, Link," Aryll starts to inform her brother while Link marvels at his voice. Although he knows animals cannot speak the human language, he is still astonished to lose this important way of communicating. "You cannot bark, howl, or growl while we are here. Nobody can know what you look like. There could be riots."

Link snaps his gaze between the two, waiting for one of them to start their explanation of why he is in a foreign house and why his secretary is there. Seconds later, Aryll opens up her mouth and a loud yawn flies out. Link snorts, the smell of tomatoes from her pasta and some bad breath wafting into his nose.

Rubbing her eyes, she mumbles tiredly, "Ugh, what time is it anyways?"

Zelda looks towards the T.V. and reads the time on the DVD player. "About six in the morning. The sun should be rising soon."

Aryll throws her arms up and collapses backwards into the couch while Zelda walks over to the window. Placing her hands on the windowsill, she gazes at her street, her ice blue eyes casually traveling from house to house.

It is not until now that Link finally pays more attention to Zelda's appearance. She always comes to work in tight skirts and shirts, but nothing that ever shows too much cleavage. Everyday her hair is pulled back into a bun, not one strand hanging out of place, and her high heels constantly clop on the tiled floor. However, now she wears baggy light blue pajama pants and a white t-shirt that is a few sizes too big. Even after such an uncomfortable night of sleeping, her golden hair remains straight and reaches down to the small of her back. The misty blue of the morning gives her heart shaped face and crystal eyes an ethereal glow. Without her high heels on, she already looks about half a head shorter, though it is difficult for Link to tell when he is much lower to the ground. Despite this, he cannot deny that she is the most beautiful he has ever seen her. He likes the way the overly large shirt drapes across her thin arms and how a few strands of her golden hair circle her face.

Suddenly the light from outside becomes a little brighter and Link manages to gaze past Zelda and to what she is staring at. Though the horizon is obscured by the mass of buildings in the distance, Link simply has a strange feeling that it is coming. His brain seems to become much more alert, as if his wolf senses know the time of day without needing to see the sun.

But the second the sun peaks over the horizon, officially transferring from night to day, something tugs at Link's heart and his stomach ties into knots. A tingling sensation flows through his body as he gasps and bends his head down, his breath becoming shallow. Before Aryll can even ask what is wrong with Link, a bright white flash of light erupts from his body and blinds the two women temporarily. When they open their eyes again, they find the wolf to be missing.

"Link?" Aryll instantly calls, throwing herself off the couch as her head snaps this way and that. "Where'd you go?"

While Zelda turns away from the window to join the search for her now missing boss, somebody mutters from the other end of the couch. "Err…over here…just, um, don't come quite yet."

Aryll and Zelda both exchange confused looks, each wondering how Link can speak if he is a wolf (_unless he is a magical wolf_, Aryll thinks) and what could possibly be going on from behind the arm of the couch, where the man currently hides. Everything soon becomes clear in seconds when the lean man stands up from his hiding spot with only a dark green blanket wrapped around his waist. His body is not amazingly muscular (he is a scientist after all, how much exercise can he get cooped inside all day?) but his body is well developed anyways, a tight stomach with the linings of a six pack and broad shoulders. Running a hand through his extremely messy blonde hair while the other hand holds the blanket in place, he grins sheepishly and a blush forms on his cheeks. "You don't happen to have any clothes on you, do you?" Then he adds, blushing a bit more and trying to look everywhere but at Zelda's stunned expression, "Preferably men's clothes."

Aryll sighs but with a smile nevertheless, and Zelda gazes with disgust at the blanket. That was her good one too…

"I'm just glad to see you are back to normal," Aryll chuckles as Link blushes a tad bit more and notices Zelda's cross look. He holds back a scowl; he doesn't look _that_ bad, does he?

"Thankfully for you," his sister goes on, "we took your unconscious wolf body by putting you in a suitcase you left at the lab. There were some clothes in it that I bet you can wear."

Link mumbles thanks and, the second Aryll turns around to retrieve the bag, he and Zelda lock eyes. A frown dons both their faces but, aside from that, their expressions are blank. Link is still extremely confused as to what is happening while Zelda inwardly sighs. First her boss turns into a wolf and now he is standing in front of her, naked aside from her best blanket covering him up. How much more unprofessional can she get?

"Go throw these on in the bathroom," Aryll says as she chucks a lump of wrinkled clothes at her brother. Link attempts to catch them with one hand but the clothes slip through his fingers and slap against his face. Of course it doesn't hurt him, though Zelda cannot help but let a sly smile spread across her face.

"I better get a darn good explanation when I am finished," he grumbles, flicking his gaze between his secretary (who has wiped off her small smirk) to his yawning sister. He wonders how much longer Aryll will last before falling back to sleep for a good few hours.

Once Link changes into his wrinkled clothes, he returns to the family room to find that nobody is there. It does not take him long to hear Zelda and Aryll conversing in the kitchen where he soon finds himself standing before the two women in a white t-shirt that says "Coffee: a liquid that allows stupid people to do stupid things quicker than the average Joe" and his same old ripped up jeans. Zelda resists the urge to roll her eyes at her boss's shirt; somebody over thirty shouldn't wear such childish t-shirts like his.

The kitchen takes Link back to when he was younger and living with his grandma out in the suburbs. Unlike his cramped apartment, the kitchen is spacious and fresh air seeps through the windows. There is an island made of marble and the floors are smooth white tiles that are cold to his bear feat. A window lets in the morning rays of sunlight and it causes the steel stove, fridge, and sink to gleam into his eyes. Three white stools line the island and the women occupy two of them. Aryll grins up at her older brother sweetly while Zelda stares at her intertwined fingers that rest in her lap. What will her boss say when he finds out she took the specimens from the lab? Surely he will be furious; even _he_ cannot dismiss such a foolish action. Mentally groaning, Zelda wonders why she would ever risk something in the first place. What possibly led her to do so?

Link walks around to the other side of the island and leans against it, staring at the two women, demanding a clarification.

And as Aryll eagerly explains to Link everything that happened the previous night, Zelda's eyes are distant while she gazes at her hands. Part of her listens to the story, memories of her boss's horrifying transformation popping in and out of her head, while another part continues to ponder if what she has done is right. Even if Link is to stay at her house and study the specimens, it is not like he can do much without any chemicals or his notes. It does not matter anyways, he's already back to being human. She just hopes nobody noticed the missing specimens and that he won't transform again.

"What do you think, Zelda?" Aryll's voice snaps Zelda out of her daze and the woman blinks rapidly for a second, trying to clear the thoughts out of her head.

"I'm sorry," she apologizes in her professional tone, which Link frowns at, "I got distracted. What was the question?"

"Link was just saying how odd it was to be awake as a wolf for just a few seconds before turning human again. We were then wondering if it is mere coincidence he changed back the second the sun came up. Maybe he's a werewolf!" The college girl exclaims with a grin and then giggles softly.

Zelda hesitates for a moment, ignoring her boss's stare burning into her, and replies in a monotone voice, "I do not know if _werewolf_ is the technical term, or if there is any, but the concept could still be the same. Twilits are weaker in the daytime but much stronger after the sun has set. If we assume that the synthetic blood is still traveling through your veins, then maybe you turn into a wolf at night and remain human during the day."

Aryll's giddy smile wavers at the tone of Zelda's serious voice and she misses the friendliness she had before when her brother wasn't awake. However, she focuses on more important matters at hand.

"Is that possible, big brother?" Aryll questions, turning her gaze to Link.

Ignoring his sister for a second, Link remarks a little sourly, Zelda's and his gazes burning into each other. "That sounds a little far fetched but you could be right. Though, right now, I am just wondering how you know so much about Twilits."

"I am sorry, professor, it is hard not to over hear conversations about the science of Twilits when I am in a lab all day where they are researching about them constantly."

Aryll shifts around in her seat, her smile completely gone as she watches the two adults speech slowly transforming into something she wasn't expecting.

"I personally don't see why you wouldn't have just taken me to Ganondorf, I would have been safer with him," Link comments, his arms crossed and his mouth in a straight line.

Zelda sits up straighter and stares at her boss with a gaze as numbing as a river of ice. "As your sister explained," she begins in the same steady tone, "Professor Dragmire was acting very strange and we did not feel safe keeping you with him. He was furious when we told him that something was wrong with the synthetic blood and you had to go home. For all we know he could have acted even worse if he saw his employee turned to a wolf."

"I know he's big and all," Link groans, "but that is no reason to be scared of him. He probably would have understood."

"We were not scared of his size," Zelda tries her hardest to make her voice sound normal, but bitterness is easily leaking through. "His behavior was highly inappropriate."

"Inappropriate?" Link huffs, "Like it is inappropriate for you to call me by my first name?"

"Yes," Zelda replies instantly and the room goes dead silent as the two adults glare at each other. After many years of practice, Zelda easily manages to keep her expression steely yet blank while Link cannot hold back a scowl, and his eyebrows come together while his teeth clench.

"Uh…" Aryll mumbles, never fully aware of the tension between the two until now. "On the bright side, Zelda managed to take the specimens home with us so you can work on them without anybody else knowing about it. We thought it was best to keep your transformation a secret -,"

"Wait…" Link cuts her off, his mouth falling open and his eyes becoming wide. Zelda's gaze drops to her hands again, a few strands of blonde hair dangling in front of her face as Link clarifies very slowly, "You…_stole_…the remains…of the Blue Eyed Beast?"

Zelda's silence is all the answer he needs.

His mouth falls open even more until it is large enough that an apple can fit into it. He leans forward on the counter and his hands clasp the edge of it. "You must be joking! You could get fired! I could get fired!"

Zelda remains silent, knowing that what he is saying is all too true.

"What were you guys thinking of accomplishing with the specimens?" He asks incredulously, mostly directing his question towards Zelda.

"Brother," Aryll cuts in, suddenly standing up and sending Link a warning gaze. "May I talk to you for a moment…in the other room?"

Link hesitates, staring at his secretary sitting in front of him, and bites his lip. With her head bent down, her golden hair falls in front of her face and hides her expression. The early dawn light seeps through the window and makes her hair shine like gold. For a moment, Link actually feels bad for being so rude to her. Aryll and him have a tendency to listen to their instincts, so maybe it was a good thing that Zelda trusted her hunch not to give him to Ganondorf. She took him back to her house and cared or his sister, so the least he can do is apologize.

"Zelda…" Link begins to say with a sigh but Aryll, not realizing her brother is trying not to be hostile, tugs on his arm and pulls him out of the door and into the family room. They go down the hallway, someway out of earshot, before Aryll spins around and crosses her arms. She hates having to tilt her head back to be able to look into her brother's eyes but she doesn't let it stop her from rebuking him.

"What was that all about!" She whispers hotly while Link puts his hands up and calmly tries to interfere.

"I know, Aryll, I was about to –"

"I know you and Zelda have your differences but please, _please_ be nice to her. She has gone very far out of her way to help you and all you do is glare at her!"

"I wasn't glaring –"

"Yes you were!" She hisses before raising her voice just a bit, "And stop acting so calm right now because it makes it really hard to be mad at you!"

Link opens his mouth to reply but freezes at her words. He starts to chuckle and a grin spreads across his face.

Releasing a defeated sigh, Aryll cannot help but smile too. "I'm just happy you are okay," she admits, throwing her arms around her brother while he mockingly groans.

"Goddesses, Aryll, you are such a girl."

She leans back and slaps his arm with a smile still on her face. "Just promise me you'll be nice?"

"Only if you tell me what your plans are with the specimens."

But before Aryll can attempt to explain to her brother again, he sighs heavily and rubs his forehead. His smile failing, he tries continues to massage his forehead as if it will be able to rid him of his headache.

"I just have so many questions…" he mumbles, mostly to himself. "If you and Zelda are right, then will there be that much pain again when I transform? And how long will this last? Will it go away eventually? And if it doesn't, is there a cure?"

Placing a delicate hand on his shoulder, Aryll smiles and says, "Only one way to find out. Perform some blood tests on the specimens and yourself, do whatever you can to find out what's happening with you now. I don't know much about science, so I cannot really help you out much unless you need to know about myths, though Zelda is willing to work with you if you want her help."

"She isn't a scientist," Link reminds his sister, not trying to be offensive.

"But she is very smart and looks like a quick learner to me."

"We don't work well together."

"You will work fine, stop trying to make excuses. Let her do simple tasks or something, I don't know, but if we are going to stay in this house then you and her have to be friends."

Link raises his eyebrows at his sister, "Exactly how long are you planning on having us stay here?"

"Well…" she says, rubbing the side of her arm and staring off to the side. "Zelda and I decided that it would be best if you didn't leave the house."

Link pauses for a second, trying his best to catch his sister's eye, before clarifying. "Meaning not when I'm a wolf, right?"

Aryll sighs and finally confesses, "Of course you definitely cannot go out as a wolf, but we think you shouldn't go out at all, even when you are human - "

"And what good will come of that?" Link cries, abandoning his whispers, and Zelda tries her best to overhear the conversation from the kitchen as she gathers some food. Throwing his arms to the side, he continues to yell, "Me going completely stir crazy?"

"We don't know how long it will take to cure you and we can only call in sick for you so many times before they start getting suspicious - "

"So? Can't I be allowed to go outside at least a few times?"  
Aryll continues her reasoning, acting as if her brother had never interrupted. "You work for a top secret lab and Zelda says she would not be surprised if they sent some people looking for you."

"Yet if I stay locked up then they'll think I am missing," he counters, his voice calming a bit as he places his hands on his hips.

"You only go home to sleep, Link, your neighbors won't notice. Besides, what if you go back to your apartment and transform into a wolf and start howling like crazy again?"

Link sighs, a bit more dramatic than necessary, and runs a hand through his unruly blonde hair. "Fine," is all he says with a scowl.

"Good, now go back in there and make friends with Zelda," she instructs, playfully shoving her brother just enough to force him to lean back on his heels. Jokingly rolling his eyes and trying to ease up a bit, Link relents and they return to the kitchen. Zelda is placing three bowls of cereal on the table next to a large jug of milk and a plate of fresh fruit. She sends the pair a small smile when they enter the area, the morning sunlight giving her a golden halo and making her ice blue eyes sparkle.

As they begin feasting on the meager meal - Aryll trying her best to repress her yawns the entire time - they all begin making plans. While Link records what he felt as a wolf for those brief moments, Aryll and Zelda will take the car and collect supplies for their makeshift laboratory in Zelda's basement.

And as the two women make their way to the garage, Link sitting on the family room couch while wishing them luck on their trip, something tugs at Zelda's heart. She actually feels worry for her boss. What if he suddenly changes back to a wolf and something terrible happens? She imagines every exotic event that may occur, such as Link mistaking a fork for a juicy bone, start to chew on it, and then accidentally swallowing the sharp object and chocking to death.

Yet thinking about Link working on her couch brings a bigger concern to her mind: will her boss have the courtesy to at least clean off the dog hair he left behind?

Author's Note

Okay, so nothing very exciting happened in this chapter, for which I apologize. This one was more of a character building/plot setting kind of chapter. I do not plan for this story to be full out action in every chapter, because the main portion of it is simply Link and Zelda (two people who are complete opposites) stuck with each other in a small house and are trying to get along. Aryll is there to be a mediator kind of, and we need somebody to help them get past their differences. However, after the first few chapters, there will be much more suspenseful scenes. It's all a matter of patience, and I am sorry if I am turning some people away right now. I probably am.

This being said, I also want to mention that it seems like Zelda has no personality once so ever. Do not worry and please bear with me, because she will have personality! I am finally going to show it next chapter, which will be much more interesting than this one.

Alright, enough of my excuses. I made a relatively decent cover for this story, which can be found here (just remember to remove the "(dot)"s): http://wavemoon(dot)deviantart(dot)com/art/Rivers-Need-Springs-Cover-159500191

Lastly, Link wears a t-shirt that says "coffee: a liquid that allows stupid people to do stupid things quicker than the average Joe." I didn't make this up, I saw somebody wearing it recently and thought it would be good for Link to wear that.

Okay, I am done rambling. Thank you for all of the reviews from last chapter and I really hope you review again! Feel free to yell at me for any mistakes I made (though, if you are going to yell, I'd also like some pointers rather than hate mail :-) ) or just leave a nice little message. Whichever floats your boat. And don't forget the challenge I mentioned first chapter!

Thank you!

~~Wave~~

Works Cited

Arbor, Ann. _Blue Bungalow Courtesy of Michigan_. Photograph. Michigan. _Flickr_. Yahoo. Web. 6 Mar. 2010.

"International Wolf Center Learn - Frequently Asked Questions about Wolves." Web. 07 Mar. 2010.

"Wolf Anatomy, Lupine Anatomy Running With The Wolves,Wolf Information & Awareness Center." _Running With The Wolves, Wolf Awareness and Information Center,Long Island Wolf Expo_. Web. 10 Mar. 2010.

"Wolf Country, Facts, the Senses Observed." _Wolf Country, Information and Education Site about Wolves_. Web. 11 Mar. 2010.

"Wolf Song of Alaska: Why Do Wolves Howl?" _Wolf Song of Alaska: Wolf, Wolves, Canis Lupus, Wolf News, Current Events, Education,Science, Information, Facts, Adoptions, Memberships and Gift Shop_. Web. 06 Mar. 2010.


	3. Chapter 3

Previously on Rivers Need Springs:

_Zelda, Aryll, and Link are now staying at Zelda's bungalow on a quiet city street. They decide to keep Link inside the house at all times so nobody will know he is there. Zelda thinks that if anybody did know and if Link stays away from work long enough, the company may become suspicious and send some men to investigate. Not only that, but Zelda's neighbor is a single old lady who is always thirsting for gossip to fill her boring life._

_Near the end, Aryll realizes how tense and awkward things are for her brother and her new friend. Link picks a pretty stupid fight with Zelda, saying she knows too much about Twilits, but she has a very good reason too. The chapter finishes with Link recording what he felt as a wolf while Zelda and Aryll go shopping to gather some supplies._

And that's what you need to know for Rivers Need Springs.

I want to say thank you very much for the wonderful reviews last chapter. I lost five reviewers from the first chapter but that may be because I am a slow updater. (Which reminds me to apologize for my slowness. I try to go as fast as possible but my mind is only so strong). Nevertheless, I am extremely grateful for those who did comment because I love them more than chocolate (which is saying quite a lot). c:

I'm planning on posting something on my page called "the science behind Rivers Need Springs to show people how I am fixing up all of this stuff. Keep an eye out for it if you're interested!

I hope you enjoy this chapter!

~~Wave~~

Chapter Three – Link Has Weird Dreams About Women Speaking Gibberish

* * *

SATURDAY

* * *

Link never imagined how working alone with Zelda…in her basement…for hours…was going to go. He had a feeling it was going to be mostly silent, with little words shared, and he was right. The only difference from his prediction was that he never thought it was going to be so _awkward._

Well, for Link, Zelda's perfectly content working the way they are. She concentrates best in silence.

Aryll had helped set up the make shift lab, which was a much more livelier time, but once she had left the room became dead silent. Now they sit at opposite ends of the wooden table and won't look at each other. While Link starts sterilizing the syringes Zelda had bought, the said woman begins reading a college textbook on genetics. Link knows it's impossible for one person to remember everything in that book - or have the energy to read the whole thing in the first place - but he gives her credit for trying. If anybody can memorize the contents of that book, it will be her.

As Link continues to clean the syringes, looking everywhere but at Zelda, he takes in his surroundings. Ever since the summer sun had risen, the first floor has been bathed in its warm yellow light and the plants are as green as ever. They actually look taller during the day, as if they are stretching from their long sleep and smiling up at the beautiful day.

But the basement they are in now hides from the brilliant sun, and the only light comes from a small bulb that dangles from the ceiling by a thin string. The walls and floors are that stormy gray color from not being painted and are freezing to the touch. Cardboard boxes are piled high up in the corners of the square underground room, and much larger cases line the walls like brown hedges. Beside the wood stairs, a fridge and freezer that contains the specimens constantly emit a very low hum. Even in the least used part of the house, the place is still clean and organized. Not a speck of dirt lies on the floor and not a single spider roams the walls. The place is duller and more lifeless than the lab Link experimented in at work.

And as Link finishes arranging his side of the table – fixing the compound microscope so the lenses are positioned correctly – guilt begins to set into his gut. He thinks back to earlier when he rebuked Zelda for knowing too much about Twilits. Now he knows how stupid he had acted, _of course_ Zelda would know about the Twilits! If she didn't he actually would have been concerned with her brain activity. He had just snapped at her because he hates how she is always throwing out random facts and trying to act smart, sometimes even making him look dumb. Does she spend her time off on the Internet searching pointless facts?

He had asked her one time (in a much more polite manner) and she simply replied that she is very good at retaining information. Thinking about it more, he finds it believable. He'll mention that he has to go to a meeting a month from that day and, without even writing it down, she'll remember it and be the one to have his plane tickets ready and his hotel room set. If it weren't for her, he'd probably have never made any of those meetings.

Thinking of this makes Link feel even worse. Zelda is a great secretary, the best he has ever had, and she even went out of her way to help him when he transformed. _I really need to apologize, _he thinks to himself._ And soon, this guilt is killing me!_

Taking a deep breath, he sighs Zelda's name and her head instantly snaps up. As usual, her back is straight and her hair is in its bun. She changed out of her baggy pajamas and into another black skirt and loose white top. Although Link wishes she'd remain comfortable (because he knows she changed since her boss is around), he likes the way her light blue eyes gaze at him attentively and her expression is clement. Despite Link's earlier rudeness to her, she is in a much better mood now that she gets to work in a laboratory, even if it is a poor one made in her dimly lit basement. The fact that she has the opportunity to experiment with ancient specimens and new scientific theories excites her. She'll read five textbooks if it means she'll help gain knowledge on the mystifying subject of her boss's transformation.

Focusing again and removing thoughts about pretty eyes, Link bows his head slightly, staring at the table as he begins to apologize. "I wanted to say I am sorry for how I acted to you this morning. I was unreasonable and I guess I was simply stressed from everything that happened." With a sad smile and a pause, he continues with a deep breath. "Thinking back on it now, I kind of wished that I knew more about what was happening to me so I could comfort Aryll, but you were quicker on your feet. I guess I was…" he blushes, "jealous."

Confused for a small second, Zelda remembers their brief quarrel earlier. It didn't seem like much, Aryll had just asked her opinion on Link's situation and she had said that she believes he turns into a wolf at night because Twilits are strongest at that time of day. Right after that, Link had rather aggressively commented on how she knew a little too much on Twilits. She told him that she would, considering she works in a lab full of them.

Playing with what Link had just said to her, she comes to a conclusion that he either likes sounding smart all the time, or just in front of his sister.

There is a moment of awkward silence and Link pulls his eyes away from the table to look up at his partner's face. Some relief washes over him at the sight of her small, comforting smile and her more relaxed posture. Her back is no longer straight and she rests her elbows on top of the table with one hand propping her chin up.

Seeing her warm smile makes Link's mouth tug into a bit of a nervous grin. In a sweet voice, Zelda responds, "I accept your apology, and I want to say sorry as well."

"But why?" Link asks, raising an eyebrow and his grin fading slightly. "You did nothing wrong."

Shrugging her shoulders, Zelda's smile widens as she teases lightly, "Let's just say I wasn't thinking too highly of you."

At first Link appears to be a bit hurt by the news and Zelda feels the blood rushing to her face, but then he chuckles and leans back on his wooden stool they got from the kitchen.

"Thanks for understanding, Zelda. I'm a little protective of my sister, to the point where she tries to hide from me. I just want to always sound like I know what I am doing so she doesn't have to worry, you know?"

"I can tell you care a lot about her." She pauses for a second, debating on whether or not she should pry, before deciding and saying thoughtfully, "Back at the lab yesterday…when Aryll was telling you how she didn't like the idea of you recreating the Blue Eyed Beast…you said that somebody has to pay for her college tuition. Please forgive me for asking, but do you not enjoy your profession?"

Link hesitates for a moment, a little surprised at how observant Zelda must be, before he responds rather slowly, as if in deep thought. "Well…it wasn't my first choice. I originally wanted to do something in music, but the money and job opportunities are better in this career and I need to pay for her education."

"Do your parents not pay for it?" She questions, her eyes wide with interest and her safety gone. If Zelda had not been so intent on finding answers of her boss's past, she would not have asked a question that pries into his life even just a little. How unprofessional.

He pauses, gazing at her large ice eyes, before dipping his head a bit and confessing sadly, "They died a year after Aryll was born and I was ten years old," he admits with a hint of sorrow, even though he attempts to hide it with his broken grin. "Our grandmother took us in later but, when I was a my sophomore in college studying music, she passed on. Aryll then moved to a foster home until I could get enough money to support us both, though I had to go into a field that would give me a better pay."

He pauses for a moment as his grin widens and he spreads his arms wide. "So here I am now working in my secretary's basement after being a wolf for a night." He concludes, his usual humorous twinkle back in his cobalt eyes.

Zelda cannot help but smile slightly at his playfulness. She finds it nice that he doesn't let his parents' death pull him down and has even managed to keep going after his grandmother's passing. She stores this information in the part of her brain that knows that the silkworm moth has eleven brains. She'll never know when she might need it one day.

"I'm sorry to hear about your losses," she sympathizes sincerely. "I understand how tough it is to go on after something like that."

"Aw, it's fine…but thanks," he reassures her casually while returning his hands to his sides. He opens his mouth to say something about the science, before he remembers something a bit more important at the moment. "Wait…" he mumbles, sending her an analyzing look. "Have you lost somebody too?"

Zelda shifts around in her stool, looking at the ground and placing her hands in her lap. Her soft smile wavers for a second, but she keeps it up and flicks her wrist, as if shooing away the thought, and replies simply, "Nobody likes orphan stories, right?" Her smile widens, trying to make light of the situation.

Link easily notices all of this and won't let her get away with it. "Come on, you can tell me," he encourages. "I told you some of my past so you can tell me some of yours."

Glancing down at her hands, she figures that he does have a point and that she might as well make up for her poor, unprofessional behavior.

"My mother left my father and me when I was five," she begins as her smile vanishes and she continues to stare to the side, her eyes glazing over as her mind leaps back to the events so long ago. Her voice becomes distant and soft as she continues with her story. "My father and I became best friends but when I was sixteen he was diagnosed with colon cancer. By the time I was eighteen and ready to go to college, the medical bills were pilling up and he was getting worse. We couldn't afford to send me to a good school so I took classes at the community college and stayed home to help him."

She takes a deep breath, as if the story has drained her, while Link gets another onslaught of guilt. _Way to go, Link_, he snarls to himself. _You've made her feel bad._

Finally, her light blue eyes turn back to him and, with a beautiful sad smile, she finishes, "When I was twenty three he passed on. Afterwards, I got a job as a secretary to pay off the debts. At the same time, I'm focusing on getting enough money to go back to college."

Her story ends rather abruptly, with her gazing expediently at Link while he simply stares at her in amazement.

"Wow," he breathes once he realizes she is done speaking, his mouth remaining agape. "I'm so sorry to hear about that, but that's quite the story. You gave up a lot for your father."

She merely shrugs and responds, "Like you said, it's fine."

"So you went to school to be a secretary? What did you actually want to major in?" He inquires, obtaining a sudden thirst to learn more about his secretary. Although the story was brief, Link already knows his secretary better in those few seconds of conversation than the two years they have worked together. For a moment he feels shameful that he never bothered to get to know. For so long she was just the woman who told him when he had stuff to do and seemed to never have fun, but now he sees a whole new side of her. Like a child having his first taste of a new candy, he needs to know more.

"I was going to be a biology major, but…" she shrugs. "You know how it is."

With a tired grin, Link says lightly, "I guess we have something in common after all."

"It just stinks that it has to be that we both lost at least one parent and sacrificed a lot to help the family," she admits, leaning against her hand and staring off to the side again.

At that moment, Link decides that he is going to try his hardest to learn everything about his secretary: from where she was born, to what her father was like, and how she became who she is today.

But first…blood.

Zelda helps Link collect a small vial of his blood so he can observe it through his cheap microscope. Once that is over, Zelda goes back to trying to remember everything in her textbook while Link begins to examine a drop of his blood. It doesn't even take him a second to realize something is wrong.

Like most human blood subjects, he sees red circles (Erythrocytes) bunched up together and even some still moving around. However, this time he sees many tiny purple triangles clinging to some of the red blood cells, like pesky mosquitoes. Compared to the Erythrocytes, the purple triangles are extremely tiny, less than half of the red circles' size, but still a threat nonetheless. Link instantly recognizes the triangles to be _Crepusculumcytes_. A Twilit's blood cell.

Back in the time when racism between Twilits and Hylians was strongest, a form of torture the two races would perform on each other was to inject a large amount of the opposite races blood. For example, a Twilit could take a large syringe of its blood and inject that into a Hylian's body. The Crepusculumcytes would instantly travel through the arteries and to the heart where they would attack the cells there and kill them. On the outside, the Hylian would first scream in unbelievable agony for about two minutes before falling unconscious. It only took a span of three to five minutes before the heart would shrivel up from the overwhelming force of the Twilit's blood. The same process occurred when Hylian blood got into a Twilit. For a while, Hylians were using this method on Twilits in form of the death penalty, but thankfully the new King Daphnes annihilated the practice.

Back in the mock lab, Link thinks his heart has stopped while his brain is about to burst from all the hypotheses and questions jumping around in his head. Leaning back, he places his hands on the table to steady himself as his face becomes ghostly white. With his cobalt eyes wide and his mouth hanging open, he tries to make order of his thoughts.

Zelda casually glances up from her reading at Link, not realizing the horror that is now twisting Link's stomach, and does a double take at his stunned expression before straightening up and asking with worry, "What's wrong?"

Link just shakes his head ever so slightly, his shoulders shagging and his breath becoming shallow.

_The combination of Twilits' and Hylians' blood is instant death…so why aren't I dead yet?_

Confused and concerned, Zelda cautiously slides the microscope over to her and looks through the eyepiece. She sees the same image her boss saw and, even though she may not be a scientist, easily knows that the purple triangles are what are causing Link's distress.

They sit there for a moment in silence, staring at each other in bewilderment and dread, when Zelda finally breaks the stillness with the question that haunts both of their minds.

"What does this mean, professor?" She whispers, fighting a lump in her throat. A random thought floats through her mind then, saying to her "_babies whose parents are Hylian and Twilit die before they are even born. They always take their mother with them."_

He runs a hand through his blonde hair, making it stick out in all different directions as his eyes focus on the microscope. "I don't know," is all he says before falling silent again.

With a deep, calming breath, Zelda tells herself that there is an answer for everything, and then she snatches her notebook and pencil. Moving aside the textbook, she writes at the top of the page: _Observations of_ _the Professor's Blood_.

She quickly jots down how small the purple triangles are and how they each seem to cling to a red blood cell. She remembers to add the date right before questioning her boss.

"Do you have any comments you'd like to write down," she asks in a level voice, as if trying to make it seem that it is just another workday.

Catching the hint, Link swallows in an attempt to calm himself. He remembers his professors always telling him that emotions get in the way of science; being relaxed like Zelda is the only way they will accomplish anything.

"The Erythrocytes seem to be unharmed, besides the fact that the Crepusculumcytes are attached to them," he states and Zelda quickly bullets it.

He bites his lip in thought, and then tells something else for Zelda to write. "It takes three to five minutes for a syringe of Twilit blood to overcome a Hylian's body, and I have definitely have had the Crepusculumcytes in me for much longer than that. Knowing this, then we can assume that the Twilit blood cells are not trying to destroy my heart."

Then he adds to himself, _for the moment at least._

And as Zelda is halfway through writing this down, another thought comes to him. His voice begins to rush as he explains it to his secretary, his mouth trying to keep up with his hectic mind.

"If what you had said earlier today is true – about me turning into a wolf at night because that is when Twilits are most strongest – then maybe the Crepusculumcytes grow in a way that triggers my change. When I was first stabbed with the syringe of synthetic DNA, I had pain everywhere and my stomach really hurt. If we could get some DNA from my heart, stomach, and brain then maybe -,"

"Professor," Zelda cuts him off, sending him a look that says _I'm worried that you might have lost your mind._ He stops speaking and looks at her expectedly, not catching on to why she's disturbed at what he has said. As if talking to a child, she says slowly, "You. Cannot. Cut. Yourself. Open."

Link sighs and argues, "But it could really help us out -,"

"We don't have the materials for it and we'd need a surgeon, which none of us are," she interrupts, shutting him down in a second.

Crossing his arms, he grumbles, "Fine."

Zelda puts her pen to her lips, resting on her elbows as possibilities form in her mind. "I don't know about you, but I think the best thing to do would be to wait for you to change back into a wolf and then take a sample of your blood from that. We could then compare the two and see if there are any differences."

"What makes you so sure I'll transform again?" He asks a bit bitterly, though Zelda is not offended by it. She knows he's just trying to release some of his building frustration.

"You cannot expect the Crepusculumcytes to have no effect on you," she starts to reason but he throws another idea out instantly.

"Maybe they are slowly vanishing? They are pretty tiny, after all," he huffs though, to Zelda, it sounds like he is trying to convince himself more than her.

"Well, if you _do_ change back again tonight, then can we try my idea?" She suggests hopefully and Link sighs. He has to admit, he had thought of her idea too and it does make sense to do it.

"Yeah, we can do that," he agrees, his shoulders slumping as his sudden burst of anger dies down a bit. "In the mean time I'll try performing some tests on both my blood and the specimens. I'll let you know if I need your help."

Zelda nods and instantly goes back to reading her textbook, hoping that maybe an idea will strike her in one of the many pages.

And that is exactly what they do for the next eight hours. At first Link tries to be optimistic and doesn't let his strength waver every time one of his hypotheses are proven wrong, but it only takes two hours for him to throw his optimism down the toilet. He has never been one to look on the bright side anyways.

Soon he is hunched over the table, his right hand clenching his hair and his left hand tapping his pencil incessantly against the wooden table. He stares at his papers for hours, just sitting on his stool with his fingers massaging his forehead and his head feeling like it is about to explode from the overwhelming fear and confusion. He hates not knowing what to do; it makes him feel helpless and stupid. Not only that, but what if they don't solve the mystery in time? There weren't _that_ many Crepusculumcytes in the synthetic blood, so maybe it is taking longer for him to die from it? If this is true, it would only give him a certain amount of time to cure himself before he died with his last words being his tormented screams. But that doesn't cover why the Twilit blood cells are smaller than normal and it doesn't cover why he turned into a wolf.

In the end all he is sure of is this: he is totally and terribly stumped.

By six in the afternoon, Zelda's head is killing her from reading so much and struggling to think of possibilities. She knows that if her genius boss is stupefied then there is no doubt she is too.

_Another thing we have in common,_ she grumbles to herself. _We are both clueless when it comes to this._

She had been watching Link's progressive frustration the entire time and it began to affect her too. His casualness in the beginning had made her relaxed, confident they could find a cure, but it was soon clear that he was even more perplexed than her. When Aryll brought down lunch he didn't even touch it, and when his sister had suggested a break, he had denied it. Zelda recalls that only yesterday he would have given up anything for a break, even his favorite muddy boots. Now he won't think about it, as if the possibility is as idiotic as humans turning into dogs. Oh wait…

Thankfully, Aryll knows her brother better than anybody and comes down at six that night to take them away from the lab to relax and cook dinner. At first Link refuses to go upstairs, but she reminds him that taking a break from puzzles is always a good idea. Perhaps when he returns with a full stomach and a more relaxed mind he can uncover the secrets of his change.

After a hearty dinner where Link eats most of the food (the women had generously let him; he had not eaten since that morning), the trio comes to the family room to prepare for what they are all fearing: sunset.

Link stands in front of the window, his hands shoved into his pockets and his golden bangs hiding his tired cobalt eyes. Zelda sits rigid on the couch, her clammy hands clenched together and her eyes glued to the syringe lying on the coffee table. If her boss transforms again, she'll have to use it.

Aryll fidgets around on the couch, constantly changing position to try to find the most comfortable one but failing every time. She twirls one of her pigtails around her finger and switches the leg that lies on top of the other, like each limb has a mind of its own and is fighting for the best spot. Although they are all doing different things, they are all silent and apprehensive of the setting sun.

The sun is now only a few feet away from the horizon, the sky painted a burning orange with streaks of crimson. For so long they had been still, so when Link finally starts to move every eye turns to him.

However, their gazes are quickly taken away when the women realize that Link is removing his shirt and, as far as they know, soon his pants.

"Link," Aryll groans looking off to the side. "Why are you taking your clothes off?'

He tosses his t-shirt on top of the couch and begins unbuckling his belt. "If I do change – which I won't, just hypothetically speaking here – then I don't want to have my clothes being torn apart again. Not like it matters, because I won't change -,"

"DON'T TAKE OFF YOUR PANTS!" Aryll cries, throwing her arms up, managing to cause her brother to freeze with his fingers ready to pull down his pant's zipper.

"I don't want them to get ruined – which they won't because -,"

Link is cut off by a pillow smacking him in the face while he lets out a surprised yelp. Aryll sits on the couch with her arm in the air and a triumphant grin on her face. Meanwhile, a blush creeps up on Zelda's face. She keeps glancing at his chest and can't help but think that it is pretty toned…

"You are not allowed to take your pants off in front of others, Link. It's just…not right," Aryll explains somewhat playfully, shaking her head.

"Fine," he huffs, stuffing his hands back into his pockets. "But you are going to owe me a new pair of pants."

"I thought it doesn't matter because you won't be turning into a wolf?" Aryll remarks with a smirk and Zelda manages a smile through her embarrassment.

"Mind over matter, right?" He responds defiantly with his head held high.

Aryll crosses her arms, leans back, and sends him a sad smile. "You are that desperate?"

His shoulders drop and he lets out an exhausted sigh while rubbing his forehead. "Yes," is the last word he says before the sun dips into the city's underground and twilight stretches across the sun. The second the last bit of golden sunlight fades from the world, Link feels the tingling sensation and the tug in his gut. Nausea sweeps through him for a second as he clutches his stomach and, as he falls to his knees, a bright flash fills the room and his pants poof out like confetti. He has already turned into a wolf before he even touches the ground.

The light fades in an instant and Link immediately checks himself over, wishing on a very thin strand of hope that he is still human. However, he sees his large paws and glances back to find his fluffy black tail swishing behind him. He can hear the women's beating hearts, their soft breath, and the distant hum of the highway. The smell of salt, cooked chicken, and lilies drift into his nose, making his mouth drool at the thought of meat.

Only two seconds into being a wolf and he is already burning hot. He hunches over and starts panting heavily, his tongue hanging out and fur already shedding.

Zelda immediately recognizes the signs and apologizes sincerely, "I'm sorry, professor, I'll blast the air conditioning for you." And as she makes her way towards the AC control on the wall, she doesn't even think about the fur getting all over her rug.

Aryll squats down next to her brother and wraps her arms around his large neck. Stuffing her face into his side, her voice is muffled when she speaks.

"I'm so sorry, brother," she whispers, listening to his strong heartbeat and feeling a bit better. "But we'll find a cure for this, I am sure of it."

Link gives a nod, happy for his sister's optimism. He's also grateful that emotions are a bit more difficult to detect on a wolf, especially when his sister's face is stuffed in his fur. She cannot see the frustration burning in his eyes and the fear that clenches his heart.

_How much longer do I have to live? _

* * *

Shortly after Link's transformation, Zelda collects a vial of his blood that they will study in the morning, assuming Link will change back to human at that time. Aryll then insists on conducting her own scientific experiments to feel more useful and her ideas aren't that bad. The two women test Link's senses by hiding a leaf of basil in very small places in other rooms, like stuffing the herb in an empty shampoo bottle that is in the garbage or putting it inside of a light bulb. No matter where they hide it, Link finds it every time.

They do something very similar to test his hearing. Taking Aryll's iPod, they attach the headphones to it with the volume down low so the only way a human could hear it is if they actually put the headphones to their ears. They then place the iPod in very tricky spots and, like before, Link finds it no matter what.

Though now it is one in the morning and Zelda and Aryll are curled up in their own beds, each clinging to a huge comforter that they need because the AC is making the house freezing cold. Link reminds himself that he'll have to pay Zelda's bills this month.

And although he has been up since six in the morning, Link cannot fall asleep. The moment he transformed his body became more alert and this surge of energy flew through his veins, making him want to perform Aryll's experiments forever if it meant he could keep moving. But now that the women are asleep, unaware of his sudden insomnia, he has a terrible urge to go outside. Every part of his being wants – no _needs_ - to taste the fresh air and roll around in the soft grass, to run through the trees and to get the flesh of animals in his mouth.

He shakes his head in disgust and backs away from the window he has been staring out of for the past hour or so. _Great_, he grumbles to himself. _Now I'm thinking like a wolf too._

Not knowing what else to do, he begins to aimlessly wonder around the family room, kitchen, and hallway while taking the time to observe his surroundings. With his burning desire to travel outside, it is no wonder that he first notices that there is a plant in every corner. He bounds over to the first one he sees and stuffs his nose into it, taking in its leafy scent, before seeing another one out of the corner of his eye and dashing to that one like a playful puppy. He continues this pattern, only somewhat aware of how childish he is acting, before curling his body around a fiddle-leaved fig and resting his head on his paws. Calming down his excitement, he remembers the vow he had made earlier to learn more about his secretary. He recalls how observant she was, how she managed to know that he didn't enjoy his profession from one thing he had said. Being observant…that's the key to learning more…so what do plants say about a person?

_Maybe she likes to care for things? That could be it_, he reasons, _because she did aid her father when he had cancer and she is helping me out…but what else can they mean?_

_Maybe her favorite color is green?_ He struggles to remember if she ever mentioned which color she preferred but he cannot think of any time when she might have said so. _It's probably unprofessional_, he mocks inside of his head before refocusing again.

_Plants, plants, plants…what do they mean?_

_She could be really big on helping the Earth and what not._

_She could be some interior design freak._

_Or she could be lonely._

How often can Zelda go on dates or hang out with friends? She works everyday except for Sunday, and probably gets home around nine every night and wakes up at six. Maybe that's why she has so many plants, so she has another living thing nearby that she can take care of.

He starts wandering around again and gazes at all the pictures hanging on the walls. Most of them are of a beautiful young blonde woman, probably around the age of twenty, with a tired looking older man. There is no doubt that she is Zelda, nobody else has her ice blue eyes or perfect heart shaped face, but she is wearing skirts, jeans, and t-shirts and her golden hair is always down, never in a bun. She is smiling in every photo and the man next to her is too, despite his haggard appearance. He's bald in almost every picture, except for a few where he has a thin layer of light gray hair, and bags fall under his light blue eyes.

One photo Link sees is of the man lying in a hospital bed with tubes coming out of his mouth and the white sheet draped over his frail body. Zelda is sitting next to him, clutching his hand, and she is smiling a broken smile. Her eyes are puffy, evidence she has been crying, but she grins for the man nevertheless, so that he can be sent away from the world with an image of her joyous face locked in his mind.

Link sighs, a bit more guilt seeping still feels bad for not treating her well the two years they have known each other and seeing how selfless she is makes it worse for him.

Suddenly feeling drained, he makes his way back to the family room and settles down on the couch. He blends with the darkness, his cobalt eyes like jewels in a cave, and struggles to find sleep. He lays awake for about two hours, thinking over everything he has learned today and all the questions he has, until he finally drifts away around three in the morning.

* * *

What's the difference between a nightmare and a dream? Are nightmares supposed to scare you to death and are dreams ones that you wish you never wake up from, or do those have to be called _good_ dreams? Either way, Link dreams that night and it is neither pleasant nor horrifying.

He dreams he is running – as a wolf – and his powerful legs carry him for miles without him ever tiring. Although he has no clue as to where or why he is sprinting, he lets his body take him to wherever. The feel of the wind rushing through his thick fur is a nice relief from the summer heat and he finally has some space to run around.

The world around him is completely black, like a cloud filled night sky, and he has no sense of direction. For all he knows he could be sprinting straight to the depths of the Earth. And as he runs, not really knowing how to stop, he begins to hear a voice. It sounds female and comes from behind him, the speaker so close that he can feel her warm breath tickling his ears.

Craning his head around, he looks over his shoulder but finds nobody there, though the voice continues to speak to him without pause.

"Bay se glak fu mest a upa cama san led fispa!"

_Um…what? _He thinks to himself, bewildered as any sane person would be.

The gibberish language keeps ringing in his ears and the person's tone is urgent and frightened. Is this woman okay? Does she need help? But, more importantly, what is she saying?

He listens to the language, notices how some words are slurred, others accented with a click of the tongue, and some syllables held longer than normal. He tries to place the language but nothing comes to mind, the best he can call it is pure gibberish.

The voice keeps yelling at him in her odd words, now sounding a bit more annoyed than worried. Link has a good feeling that she's probably aggravated because she doesn't understand why he isn't responding. Even if he did speak her odd language, he still lacks the ability to talk and therefore make conversation.

The voice begins to become a background noise and Link calms down. It isn't scary, just another one of those weird dreams, like the ones with crabs that shoot lasers out of their eyes. It isn't frightening because they are so tiny and you can just pick them up and chuck them away. Though it is not happy either because what is happy about a crab shooting lasers? The best word to describe it all is simply odd.

But then the dream takes a turn for the worst. Something latches onto Link's left ankle so fast and with such strength that he feels his bones must be breaking. Mid stride, he is suddenly yanked backwards and he lets out a fearful yelp as he crashes onto his back. With his heart pounding in his ears, he glances down at his ankle to see a thick white ring squeezing it and a silver chain attached to that. His eyes follow the chain that seems to stretch for miles but he has no idea how long it is; the shadows shallow it up with it's black mouth.

Something tugs on the chain and Link lurches backward. As it continues to pull Link towards whomever – or whatever – is dragging him along, he struggles to resist by planting his feet in the ground and yanking at the chain with his teeth. However, Link seems to only make matters worse because his opponent's tugs become much stronger and soon Link is being dragged on his back at incredible speed toward his attacker.

Rolling uncontrollably, he suddenly slams into a wall and his head jerks back involuntarily, releasing a terrible _crack_ as it makes contact with the stone.

Finally at a stop, Link begins to push himself up but the chain holds him down. He hears the sound of somebody's heart beating nearby and he looks up into the shadows, only to see a huge man with flaming red hair and a smirk across his dark skin. A sharp syringe is held in his hand and, even in the darkness, his yellow eyes gleam like a snake gazing lustfully at its prey.

Link begins to struggle with the chain, shaking it and biting at it, but nothing helps. As the man comes closer, his smirk widening with each step, Link hears the woman frantically yelling the same word over and over again. "Echa! Echa! Echa, Echa, Echa!"

But then, out of all the confusing and terrifying events his dream has taken him, he recognizes something.

"Echa po le!" the woman cries. "ECHA PO GANONDORF!"

* * *

SUNDAY

* * *

"Link!" Aryll yells in his ear, shaking his furry shoulder vigorously. "Get up, please!"

Link's wolf body stirs on the couch and he blinks his eyes open, happy to be away from the odd dream. His entire being feels numb, all the way to his core, and he is draped in cold sweat. He hears two women sigh in relief next to him and, glancing over, sees them with messy hair and concerned expressions. Looking over their shoulders, he notices that it is still the morning gray. The sun will be up soon.

And that means…

Forgetting all about his odd dream, Link jumps up and rushes to the window. Leaning back on his hind legs, he tries to stand and get a better view of the outside, but he is still a little unstable and falls on his back.

Behind him, Aryll lets out a small, relieved chuckle and kneels next to him while Zelda grabs a pile of clothes they had gathered the previous night.

Helping his brother up, Aryll explains with a comforting smile, "Zelda and I will wait in the kitchen. We'll leave the clothes here so you can change after you transform back to human."

Link sends her a look, as if saying "_and how do you know I'll become human again?_"

Practically reading his mind, she laughs again and points out as if it is the most obvious thing in the world. "You'll transform, Link. You _are _a werewolf after all."

"If only we had a vampire, then we'd have a story," Zelda says casually as she places the clothes on top of the coffee table.

"Ew," Aryll whines playfully with a grin on her face. "Vampires are gross, who likes to drink blood? That's just…ew."

Straightening up, Zelda sends Aryll a humorous smile and Link thinks it's the most relaxed she's ever been. He takes a look at her attire: same baggy white shirt and light blue pajama pants. Her long, golden hair sways with her every movement instead of being locked in its bun. It's as if he is staring at the same girl he saw in the pictures from earlier. Maybe her personality changes with the clothes she wears, kind of like a mask. In the morning she's calm and, once in a while, making jokes. However, once she ties her hair back in its tight bun and puts on her high heels, it's as if she is somebody else entirely. Somebody who works too hard to pay off the debts and who gave up their dream to try to save somebody they love. And now she is somebody who needs the money to return to college and attempt to recreate that dream.

Standing up straighter and swishing his tail happily, Link feels that he has already succeeded in his endeavor to know Zelda better, but he'd still like to learn more. _Not bad for a first day_, he thinks to himself triumphantly.

"I thought all girls loved vampires now a days," Zelda muses, a smile tugging at her lips. "Ever since those movies came out…what are they called?"

Aryll groans and rolls her eyes. "The Twilight Saga. I never read the books but apparently everybody loves them. I saw the movie with my friend and it was awful. The main girl cannot act, and the only good thing about it was Jacob."

Suddenly, Aryll licks her lips and grins with a twinkle of mischief in her blue eyes. Both Link and Zelda send her confused and somewhat disgusted looks.

"Who's Jacob?" Zelda questions and Aryll sighs dreamily.

"A total hunk. He's the werewolf in the movie and is the hottest thing in the world."

Link, not being able to express his disturbance in words, tries to make a gagging noise but it just sounds like he's choking on a hairball. Thankfully (or not), Aryll gets the hint and smirks at her brother.

But before she can make some witty remark, the tip of the sun rises from the ground and a bright flash instantly erupts from Link. The second they see this, the women turn on their heels and rush into the kitchen, giving Link his privacy to change.

Back in human form, he stands up and stretches his sore limbs. Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, Link begins to pull on his boxers and jeans while wondering why he couldn't have packed sweat pants or something. Jeans are just too uncomfortable in this heat.

As he zippers up his fly, he stops and thinks about what he has just noticed. Its probably fifty degrees in the house but he is still burning hot. When he was a wolf he was warm but wasn't going to die of heat stroke. Now, it feels like putting on a shirt is the most ridiculous thing to do.

Leaving the rest of the clothes on the coffee table, he collapses on the couch in exhaustion and feels the ache in his back, legs, and neck. His head is swimming with all of this new information about Zelda, his transformation, and now his odd dream. It probably means nothing, but the language still puzzles

Releasing a loud yawn, Link decides to hold off the questions for later. All he thinks before falling into a deep sleep is this:

Thank goddesses Zelda has good instincts.

_Author's Note_

So more exciting stuff happened in this chapter, right? Well, no gut wrenching scenes but hopefully more interesting. Anyways, here are a few topics that I feel I should go over…

Near the beginning of the chapter, I mention something called Crepusculumcytes. Basically, these are the blood cells for Twilits. The prefix of the word ("crepusculum") is Latin for Twilight and the suffix ("cytes") just makes it sound like blood cells. That ending part I got from the actual blood cell, Erythrocyte.

Also, I apologize to the people who are Twilight fans for making a relatively negative joke about it. I try go for both parties (anti-Twilight and Twilight lovers) by just making fun of the movies and not mentioning the books. I think that no matter who you are, you can say that Bella (the main girl for all you Twilight Oblivious people, a third party :p XD) is a terrible actress. She sounds so monotone the entire time; I have no idea why the director picked her. Once again, I apologize to anybody who got offended by this, I just had to mention Twilight sometime during this story. There is a hot werewolf running around, you can't ignore that. ;)

I love killing off Link's, Zelda's, and Aryll's parents. Honestly, it is becoming a problem. Every story I have done they are dead. I am so evil.

However, Zelda's past is a key part of the story and I'm going to be referring back to it often. I'm looking forward to showing how affected Zelda is by her mother's abandonment and Link's musical genius. c:

Speaking of Zelda, I tried to build her personality a bit more but that's going to be a gradual kind of thing as Link gets closer to her. And speaking of their relationship, I'm sure somebody was disappointed that they are getting along fine and it's only the third chapter, but do not worry, I have many evil plans for them. C:

Alright, I am really sorry for the long AU! I'll wrap it up now with a thank you for all the reviews and hope that you will be so wonderful and generous to leave more! I adore every single one, no matter how long or short it is. (By the way, never apologize to me if you ever leave a really long review, I love reading them even if it's about how sucky I am!)

Thanks again!

~~Wave~~

Works Cited

"Human Blood Smear Microscope Image." _Types of Microscopes : Microscope Images and Videos of Cells, Protists and Bacteria._ Web. 11 Apr. 2010.

"Unusual Scientific Facts." _Consumer Reviews - RateItAll_. Web. 08 Apr. 2010.


	4. Chapter 4

_Previously on Rivers Need Springs:_

While working in the make shift lab in Zelda's basement, her and Link share their pasts. Link's parents died in a car crash when he was ten and then lived with his grandmother. While he was majoring in music in college, he had to switch to a more moneymaking profession because his grandmother died and he needed to pay for Aryll's tuition. Zelda's mom left her when she was five and, later, Zelda went to community college to stick with her dying father and is now working as a secretary to pay off the debts and eventually go back to college to study biology.

Link finds Twilit blood cells, Crepusculumcytes, in his blood and then he has a dream about a woman speaking to him in a very odd language. At the end of the dream, he's sees Ganondorf in a very sinister light. Not only is Link extremely hot as a wolf, but he is also hot as a human. (And when I say "hot" I mean temperature wise, but the other term works great here too! :p )

And that's what you need to know for Rivers Need Springs.

I am soooooooo sorry for my slowness in updating! D: I try to go as fast as possible, I really do. Aww, please forgive me!

And thanks for the wonderful reviews from last chapter guys! 35 reviews in only three chapters? Pretty darn good if you ask me. :D I tried to write as fast as I could to please you guys while keeping the writing at a decent level. If only I didn't have to sleep, then I could have so much more time to write.

I decided to add the weekday at the beginning of each chapter so it's easier to follow the timeline. If you look back at the old ones you'll see them there. (By the way, Link and Zelda always have Sunday off from work.)

Sorry for rambling again, I'll just stop talking now.

Enjoy!

~~Wave~~

Chapter Four – Oakwoods Always Ruin the Moment

* * *

SUNDAY

* * *

"Link, _please_ stop sniffing that plant so we can focus," Aryll groans for the fourth time in the past five minutes. Rolling her eyes, she threatens, "If you don't I'll take it away from you!"

Upon hearing this, Link freezes how he is: a flower practically up his nose and his arms circled protectively around the pot in a tight hug. Him, his sister, and Zelda are all gathered around the kitchen counter trying (but failing) to discuss Link's dream he had the previous night. Due to Link's sudden overwhelming heat problem, the temperature remains in the low 50s, causing Aryll and Zelda to wear winter clothing while Link walks around in just shorts.

Leaning back on his stool, his grip getting tighter, he sends his sister a vicious glare and growls, "You wouldn't dare."

Although Aryll would normally find this amusing, she is actually getting rather tired of it and is beginning to think his random love for plants is becoming a problem.

She holds out her hand, palm facing up, and sends her brother a demanding stare. "Give it," is all she says and he reluctantly does so, but not without a whine that sounds similar to a puppy.

"You are so mean," he sighs and, this time, Aryll cracks a grin.

"Why thank you," she chirps before growing serious and refocusing, switching between emotions faster than a goldfish forgetting its memory. "So what was the woman saying again?"

Without the plant around, Link suddenly feels drained and he leans on the table, resting his head on his arms. Zelda stands across from him, staring at him with deep concern. Her dark purple sweater and white pants cling to her slim figure, and for once her feet aren't in heels but simple black shoes. What Link likes most about her appearance today, however, is how she has abandoned her bun and instead has her hair up in a long, sweeping ponytail. It falls over her shoulder, the noon sun shining in from the window behind her and making her hair sparkle.

Link recalls his vow he made the other day, about learning more on Zelda, and asks himself what switching from a bun to a ponytail can tell him. Unfortunately, he is yanked from his thoughts and onto more pressing topics.

"I know you are exhausted, professor," Zelda begins to say calmly. "But we really need to know this, it could be a clue to helping you."

Suppressing a tired moan, Link straightens up and yawns while saving his thoughts on Zelda for later. He had now gotten a total of nine hours of sleep but can barely keep his eyes open. Thinking back to it, he felt stronger as a wolf than a human.

"Sorry," he mumbles blearily before rubbing his eyes and speaking with a bit more strength. "I couldn't understand what she was saying, it was all gibberish to me."

From next to him, Aryll urges, "Not even one word? How did she pronounce what she was saying? Were there changes in pitch or clicking of the tongue?"

Link instantly starts nodding at that, his blurry mind reaching back to his dream. "Yes, yes, she did click her tongue once in a while. I remember she slurred a few words…and…" he trails off for a second, trying his best to focus all of his small amount of energy on his memories. "Some syllables were held longer than others, like a half note rather than a quarter. I think they were mostly vowels…but I'm not sure which ones."

Zelda and Aryll exchange glances, silently asking the other whether they have any idea what language it could possibly be. Link's sister bites her lip in thought, her eyes circling the room as if the answer is written somewhere on the walls, before mumbling, "Well…the only languages I can think that click their tongues would be Xhomasta, but in that dialect you don't hold out certain letters or slur. In fact, that language is very well spaced out…the clicking does that."

"Maybe the woman who was speaking had a speech impediment?" Link ventures wearily.

Zelda shakes her head and disagrees gently, "Perhaps, but lets assume that she didn't. There are 6,912 languages in the world, 516 of which are close to extinction, so there _has_ be another language out there that clicks their tongues…"

There is a brief pause before Aryll's blue eyes widen, her mouth falls open, and she claps her hand together with glee. Practically jumping out of her seat, she exclaims rapidly, "Ancient Twilit! Ancient Twilit! That's it!"

Still keeping her calm demeanor, Zelda explains with an apologetic smile, "Aryll, they do not click their tongues or slur their words in Ancient Twilit -,"

"No, no," Aryll quickly shakes her head, bouncing with the excitement of finally contributing to the research. "You are thinking of Senex Senis Twilit, which is the correct term for Ancient Twilit. That language was made after the war between Hylians and Twilits when the Hylians made their rivals simplify their language so it was easier for them to learn. Before that, however, is what is known as Tribus Twilit, or Tribal Twilit. In these times, the Twilits were separated into tribes and each had their own language but they were very similar so it wasn't difficult for different tribes to understand each other. In Tribus Twilit, the speakers did everything you said…or at least I think. I'll have to look at my notes, I took this class my freshman year."

Aryll ends a bit sheepishly but with a wide grin plastered on her face nevertheless. Link and Zelda simply stare at her, bewildered from the load of information she just poured out of her mouth. A second later, Link smiles at her and says with awe, "Who knew history classes would actually help one day, huh?"

And as Aryll rushes off to find her notes on her laptop, Zelda and Link begin to make their way to the mock lab in the basement.

"Be sure to grab some gloves," Zelda advises Aryll while Link forces himself off the stool with a muffled yawn. "Its probably forty degrees down there."

Zipping up her winter jacket, his sister punches Link's bare arm playfully while teasing, "And he's running around shirtless. You are such a weirdo, Link!" She sticks out her tongue, and before Link can respond with a reasonable explanation, Aryll runs out of the kitchen so she can have the last word.

Link just rolls his eyes and smiles. Typical Aryll.

Heading towards the door, Zelda pauses on the threshold and looks over her shoulder at Link. He's right behind her with only a set of dark blue jeans on, his golden hair ruffled and his cobalt eyes sleepy. It takes him a second or so to realize that she's trying to catch his attention with her worried stare.

"Are you sure you don't want to get professional help? Go back to the lab?" She questions softly and with concern filling her voice.

Running a hand through his tangled hair, Link nods and responds strongly, "Positive. I have faith that we can figure this out. Besides, I've always been a little hot in those clothes anyways. Who doesn't like running around shirtless?"

He cracks a grin and Zelda sends him a forced smile, pretending to find his joke amusing. However, just before they head downstairs, Link decides to throw on a shirt for Zelda's sake (he's unsure if it makes her feel awkward or not) and gazes at the space around him, soaking in the sunlight and glancing at the cars cruising down the street, before entering the darkness of the underground room.

The coolness of the basement rushes against his hot skin, making him sigh with relief while Zelda shivers. His eyes burn, adjusting to the dimness, and he has to rub them a few times until everything is clear again: the stormy gray walls and floors, the syringes laid out like knives, and the lone light bulb that dangles from the ceiling as their only hope for light.

Ignoring the basement's dank atmosphere, the two sit at the table beside each other. Zelda prepares the microscope and the blood sample taken from Link's wolf body earlier while he sterilizes a finger prick tool. He's now going to take another dose of his blood to study once he's done observing the one they collected the previous night. This way he'll be able to keep track of the progression of the Crepusculumcytes from day to day.

Link begins to look through the microscope as Zelda sits next to him, inching closer and gazing longingly at the instrument he uses. Her eyes widen with curiosity, eager to see what her genius boss sees.

And what he sees is a big difference from yesterday. His red blood cells are still there, but the dark purple triangles have grown twice their original size. The Crepusculumcytes continue to cling to Erythrocytes but, due to their enlarged size, he can only see part of the red blood cells.

His eyes still looking through the lens piece, Link asks Zelda, "Can you please write something down?"

The secretary nods and encourages excitedly, "That's what I'm here for."

"The Crepusculumcytes have grown twice their original size and each continue to be attached to an Erythrocyte," Link passes on the information while Zelda jots down everything he tells her in her curvy handwriting. "The Crepusculumcytes seem to wrap around a red blood cell with only a little part of the Erythrocyte visible. It's…a bit difficult to explain…"

"May I look?" Zelda questions in a polite manner, trying not to sound too eager. It takes much of her energy to remain calm when she seems to finally be living part of her dream. Viewing the blood of such a rare creature (which is also her boss, but "rare creature" sounds much more exciting) makes her lips tug into a smile and causes her to sit up straight in her chair. People always said that they could think better whenever they had good posture and she'll do anything to be able to help solve the mystery.

Link nods and pushes the microscope towards her, not aware of how joyful he has just made his assistant. Keeping her excitement in check, Zelda focuses onto more crucial matters. With this in mind, she gazes at the image of his wolf blood through the lens and sees the exact same thing he saw.

After a moment of viewing, she muses mostly to herself, "The Erythrocytes kind of look like they are wearing purple jackets. I wonder if they're cold."

Strangely, her comment leaves a gap of awkward silence as Zelda continues searching the image while Link sends her a confused glance, but then he starts laughing and Zelda snaps her eyes to him. She glares at him as he chuckles a bit more; she doesn't understand what is so funny.

"Pardon?" She questions with forced politeness. "Am I missing something?"

Link relaxes, a grin still plastered onto his face, and he attempts to apologize though his chuckles come between his words. "Sorry, Zelda…it's just funny and all…" he swallows, feeling more pressure under her demanding icy stare, before widening his grin and saying with a blush. "Cute really. It was cute what you said."

Zelda, not really understanding how he finds it cute, ignores him and writes down her observation that the Erythrocytes are wearing coats. In her opinion it is better descriptions than Link's, but she is still a bit bothered when he chuckles again as she jots it down.

Changing the subject, Zelda picks up the finger pricker, turns her attention back to her boss, and ventures, "I guess we should get your blood right now, huh? I'll just do a finger prick real quick…"

Although she was hoping Link would get serious after that, he just starts laughing some more and jokes, "Whoa, Zelda! Looks like somebody's getting violent!" However, he holds his hand out anyways and, letting herself smile slightly at his playfulness, she steadies his arm and wipes his finger with disinfectant.

"For the record," she grins mischievously. "Never laugh at somebody who you are so willing to let stab you."

"I guess I just thought – ouch!" Link flinches as the needle breaks skin and a small amount of blood instantly fills up the device.

"I'm sorry, professor. I should have warned you first," Zelda apologizes sincerely but Link is quick to protest.

"It's fine, it didn't even hurt that much," he reassures her as she pulls the instrument away. "You're getting pretty good at this. You'll be ready when you go back to college to study biology."

Wiping off the blood remaining on his finger with a tissue, Zelda smiles at the compliment and responds joyfully, "Thank you, I think helping you with this is a great start. I always wanted to do something that would be a big contribution to science."

And as she places a Hello Kitty band-aid on Link's finger, she finds herself going on without even thinking about what she is saying. "I don't care if I don't ever make some fabulous discovery, I just want to be able to help in anyway I can. I wish I could do more for you but its difficult when I'm just a secretary…" she trails off a bit sadly while pulling her hands away from Link's finger.

Link stares at her in newfound awe as she leans back, tucking a strand of golden hair behind her ear. His finger remains held out in front of him and his mouth hangs open. _She thinks she is useless, doesn't she?_ Link concludes to himself, still alarmed by her sudden lack of self-esteem.

Zelda gazes at him with her big blue eyes that look soft in the dim lighting, not the piercing look they hold whenever she puts on her "work face". A moment of silence passes and Zelda quickly grows embarrassed at admitting her little insecurity, averting her eyes to stare at her fingers that fiddle with each other in her lap.

Link leans forward a bit, trying to focus her attention back on him, but she refuses to look up at him. Even though, Link starts to comfort her with sudden seriousness and compassion. "I don't know what's going to happen to me – to _us_ – with this problem I am having…and you may not have a master's degree or anything, but you are doing me a huge favor right now, Zelda." Without thinking, Link gently takes her hand in his warm one and the woman instantly jerks her wide eyes up at him. He sends her his signature wolfish grin and adds playfully, "You know what they say…" he trails off there, leaving his secretary to stare at his comforting smile with confusion and curiosity.

Intrigued, Zelda straightens up and, with an inquisitive gleam in her ice blue eyes, inquires, "No, what do they say?"

"Rivers need springs," Link responds, his smile widening as her eyebrows furrow together.

"I've never heard that saying before," she muses, glancing at her hand in his and is grateful for the warmth he provides for her numb fingers.

"My grandmother used to say it," he admits with a half smile. "She'd often tell it to me whenever I was 'rude' to my sister or somebody," he chuckles at this, putting quotation marks around the word "rude" with his free hand. "She tried to make me an angel and always lectured me on how just holding the door open for a flustered person or sitting with somebody at lunch can really make their day much better. I guess it means that the smallest thing we do for somebody else may seem like nothing, but every great thing must start somewhere. You simply taking me into your home is one of the nicest acts anybody has done for me in a long time."

A pleasant smile spreads across Zelda's face, her ice blue eyes sparkling, when the light in them suddenly dies and her mouth drops to a frown. Despite her somewhat suddenly crushed spirit, she says sweetly. "Thank you, professor. Your words are very comforting."

Link, however, is not oblivious to his partner's obvious facial changes. Gazing at her quizzically, he questions, "Then why do you look so down?"

Zelda's eyes widen even more, alarmed that he'd be so direct with her. A few more moments of silence pass and, in that time, they hear the sound of hurried footsteps from the floor above. The person (Aryll) causes the precarious lone light bulb to sway above the two, the glow it gives dancing across the room like a flickering candle. At one point Link's form disappears into a shadow with only his hand that's connected to Zelda's still in the light. They wait for the bulb to relax before speaking again.

Feeling a bit trapped by her boss's question, Zelda slips her hand away from him and rubs her arm nervously. When she answers her voice is full of wistfulness and sorrow. "I suppose that by the term _rivers need springs_, you could also be saying how every bad thing we do can change somebody's life forever," she admits, staring at her now cold hand and wishing for Link's warmth to help her.

"Gee, Zelda," her boss says a bit light heartedly, leaning against the steel table. "Feeling pessimistic today?"

She offers him a small, broken smile. "No, just remembering."

Although Link is well aware of how nosey he is being, he forces himself to pester his secretary. He had made a vow to learn more about her and he takes his promises very seriously.

"Remembering what?"

Zelda struggles to hold in a sigh, getting somewhat annoyed by Link's questions. However, she does not push him away. She assumes that if she provides him with enough information he'll become bored soon enough and change the subject. That is what he normally does whenever she reads him his schedule for the week.

She shifts around in her chair, feeling a bit uncomfortable to be so open about herself, but confesses nevertheless while starring at her feet, "My mother left me when I was five. I suppose it all started that one time she had a really bad day at work and she took that sip of beer…she used to have some alcohol problems but cleaned up after she met my dad. I'm not sure what really happened after that, just that she kept drinking and became more irritable."

Zelda pauses, taking a respite from yet another painful story on her past as Link receives an onslaught of guilt and a sense of deja vu. Once again, the man has brought back unpleasant memories to his innocent and kind secretary. Way to go.

She shakes her head and sighs again, trying to fight back fits of sorrow. "My father put up with her – I'm still not sure why – but then she cheated on him."

Her face suddenly twists into one of pure irritation and she glare daggers at the ground, imagining her mother there. "She couldn't even say goodbye to our faces," she snarls bitterly and mostly to herself. "Left a note saying how guilty she was and then we never saw her again. The end."

The conclusion of her story acts like a slap to Link's face, leaving him speechless and his mind whirling. He doesn't even get the chance to try to cheer up his secretary because soon both of their attention is drawn to the sound of feet scurrying down the basement stairs. Upon hearing it, Zelda straightens up, the scowl vanishing from her face to be replaced by a blank expression. Aryll skips into view, her pigtails bobbing underneath her wool hat and her gloved hands gripping her laptop to her chest in a warm hug.

"I found it!" She squeals, beaming and barely managing to place the laptop carefully in front of the other two. Flipping the screen open and sliding the computer towards them, she explains in hurried excitement, "We can translate what you heard last night and see if the language was Tribus Twilit or not, Link! So just think of any word that the woman said and we can do it!"

The room grows into a heavy silence as the two women stare at Link expectedly. The man simply sits there, his mouth hanging open and his mind overwhelmed with all the information that was just shoved at him. One moment he is connecting with Zelda and the next his sister is yanking him back to his weird dream. He wishes that he could have more alone time with Zelda, try to learn more of her past and help her console with it, but his sister _had_ to come down and pull them away from their discussion. Suppressing a disappointed sigh, Link forces himself to ponder the dream he had last night and shove thoughts about Zelda to the back of his mind.

"I know she mentioned Ganondorf…" Link mumbles, struggling to recall everything.

"Yes, you already told us all about Ganondorf, but we can't do much with that," Aryll reasons urgently and continues to persist her brother. "Anything else? Just one word will do."

Link glances at Zelda and they lock eyes for just a moment, instantly causing them to look away. The blood rushes to Link's face and he gets that embarrassed feeling anybody gets whenever they are caught staring at somebody, even for a mere second. Zelda blushes as well, finding it odd how her the one person she tried to keep herself away from already knows more about her than anybody has in a while.

Trying to act natural, Link bites his lip in thought and contemplates, "She said something with a vowel…near the end of the dream…like 'ecma' or something…."

"Echa?" Aryll offers, staring at her list of vocabulary words, the monitor giving her face a bluish glow.

"That sounds about right…Echa," Link echoes, letting the word roll off his tongue and accenting the "cha" sound.

"Echa means _away_ or _to flee_," Aryll explains. "It's a verb, so I guess she was telling you to run away from something."

"Run away from Ganondorf, I suppose," Zelda murmurs, speaking for the first time since the beginning of the conversation.

Link runs a hand through his unruly gold hair, releasing a calming breath, and makes a game plan for what they should do next. He'll study the blood samples and find anything else that is normally not in his body. Zelda will record his observations and Aryll will sketch the microscope's image for future references. Once that is over, the women can read from one of the many textbooks Zelda bought.

And as Link prepares his workstation, a faint voice whispers in his head,

"_Echa po Ganondorf."_

_

* * *

_

_At five that evening, Aryll forces everybody to take a break and prepare dinner. The trio is about to ascend the basement stairs when a shrill ring comes from a house phone that is attached to a wall nearby. Link flinches at the noise and then tugs at his shirt, disliking the uncomfortable heat that he's still in and the harshness of the sound._

Zelda tells her companions to start without her and that she'll be right up. As the other two climb up the stairs, she takes the phone and greets in a professional tone, "Hello, this is Zelda Harkarian speaking. May I ask who is calling?"

There is a chuckle on the other end of the line, and a friendly yet deep voice responds. "Hey, Zelda, it's Marth. Do you always sound like a secretary when you answer your _home_ phone?"

Instantly smiling, Zelda leans against the wall and feels a warm, tingling sensation in her heart. She forgets all about the complexity of cells and chromosomes as she responds in a much more lively tone, "I guess it's a force of habit…so what's up?"

"Nothing much, just checking in is all," he replies smoothly and Zelda's smile grows to a triumphant grin. _He's talking to me without a reason…totally awesome._

When she doesn't respond due to her overwhelming joy, Marth continues to say casually, "I heard you and Oakwood left early Friday. What was that all about?"

Zelda's breathing hitches for a moment as she grows frantic at the thought of that day and her boss. Even though Marth works in the same building as her (but in a different department) and he knows about the experiment, nobody – even him – can know about Link's current were-wolf-like condition. Quickly regaining her composure, she lies effortlessly, "He had to go home to prepare for his sister's arrival and then work on the synthetic DNA. He didn't come in yesterday because he was not feeling well. Of course I didn't come in too because there is no point if he is gone."

"Yep," Marth replies as though he was expecting the answer. "Though I heard a rumor that the specimens have gone missing. Do you think he took them?"

Zelda's smile falls at the mention of the specimens, and not because of the guilt she has for taking them, but because she realizes what Marth's real intentions are with this phone call. He wants information about the specimens, not just to chat. She knew it was too good to be true.

It feels like her heart has plummeted to her stomach with disappointment and the energy has been drained out of her. Trying to act as if nothing has changed, she answers but fails to keep the iciness out of her tone, "I don't know what happened to them. I doubt the professor would have taken them."

"I'm sure he knows the rules, those specimens cannot leave the lab, but he has been known for breaking the rules every now and again," Marth adds, silently hoping that the woman will give him a hint if she knows anything.

"Even the professor will not be that reckless to do something like that," she defends her innocent boss defiantly, wishing Marth would hang up soon if he doesn't want to talk anything more than gossip.

Meanwhile, on the second floor, Link lies down on the couch while letting out an exhausted sigh and looks at the caller I.D. next to the phone. He doesn't recognize the number but the name _Marth_ _Emblem_ appears clear as day.

A scowl forms across his face as he recalls what he knows about Marth. This man works in the technology department of the research lab and is currently trying to figure out a way to place a special video camera inside of a person's eye. With this, they can record whatever they want without others knowing. Of course, it would only be available to spies and such; the government can't have advanced technology like that running around the public.

But, besides his profession, Link does not know Marth extremely well. The other man is (according to women) extremely attractive with his flawless white skin and angular face, though the only thing Link can focus on when looking at him is his royal blue hair that sweeps in front of his eyes. Somehow the women can ignore this feature but Link fails to do so. To him, it is like when a person has a gigantic mole on their lip and all he can do is stare at it, waiting for it to do something extraordinary. In his opinion, Marth simply looks weird. Then again, Link isn't a woman.

Looking past the exterior, Link scowls more at the caller's interior. While Marth is very charismatic, constantly sucking up to Ganondorf and the women, he loves sending Link gazes that say _I'm am so above you in every way possible._ However, he is always very polite and pleasant whenever Zelda is around. Thinking back on it now, he finds that Marth may have been flirting…

Fury pricks at his heart, a hot needle poking through him and burning his insides. He wonders why Marth is calling Zelda on this Sunday afternoon. Is it to discuss why she has been absent or to make small talk? Either way, he is dying to know and already feels his hand creeping towards the phone…

His conscious screams at him, telling him no to do it, but the trickle of bitterness seeps through his brain and empowers him to go against it. Carefully picking up the phone so it doesn't make a sound, he brings it to his ear and begins to listen.

He recognizes Marth's voice first, lucid and friendly. "I actually didn't call to talk to you about the specimens," the man on the line starts the new discussion.

"No?" Zelda's voice sounds from the line as Link places a hand over his mouth, attempting to cover his breathing. Down below, a smile forms on the woman's face and hope rekindles inside of her. Keeping her tone steady, she questions innocently, "What did you want to talk about?"

"Well, there is this great new restaurant in town…" Marth begins and Link can hear the sly smile in his voice. He clenches his teeth, rage bubbling up as he continues to listen to the conversation. "And I was wondering if you wanted to come with me sometime?"

_Wow, didn't see that one coming_, Link snarls to himself, though the widest grin spreads across Zelda's face and she slides down the wall a bit, her excitement making her dizzy and euphoric. Zelda responds as casually as she can without her enthusiasm coming off too strongly, "That sounds great, when do you want to go?"

Link scowls in disgust, hating how Zelda sounds more joyful talking to Marth than she has ever been with him.

"Whenever you are free," Marth replies, confidence shining through his voice now that he knows Zelda is interested. "We can even go tonight if you want."

"Tonight…" Zelda begins to say cheerfully but then trails off, her smile fading as she remembers Link and Aryll. Her spirits are crushed a bit at the realization that she cannot go out with Marth tonight, maybe not even in a week. It all depends on when Link's problem goes away.

"Well, I actually can't do it tonight," Zelda confesses, disappointment evident in her tone and a jab of guilt hits Link's gut, knowing the reason as to why. "My upcoming weekends are a little iffy too, so I cannot say anything will be set in stone…"

Aryll, annoyed that her brother has ditched her in the kitchen, comes to the family room to see her brother lying on the couch with a hand covering his mouth and his ear pressed to the phone. Irritation pushes away her confusion and causes her to yell from across the room at her brother, "Link, why are you on the phone?"

All at once, both Link and Zelda jump a mile high at the sound of Aryll's scolding voice. Heart pounding wildly, Link tumbles off the couch in surprise, the phone flying from his hand and landing on a pillow.

Zelda and Marth are both dead silent, hearing the commotion through the phone. The two listen to the grunts and thuds until the line goes dead and they just sit there in an awkward and bewildered silence. At first Zelda is utterly confused, tying the pieces together before realizing that her boss has just been listening to her private conversation. She finds it tough to believe - who is rude enough to do such an insolent act? - but nothing else can explain why her boss was on the phone.

Then another thought hits her. Link's name was clearly spoken on the phone, so then what is Marth thinking now?

"I-I…" Zelda stammers but Marth cuts her off in a bitter and pained voice.

"If you didn't want to go out with me you could have just said so," he snaps, causing Zelda's mouth to fall open and his hurt tone a punch in her stomach. "I'm sure you and Link can have a great laugh about this."

And then there is a loud thud on the other line and the phone goes dead, the dial tone the only thing that Zelda hears.

Sliding to the floor, she holds the phone in front of her and stares at it in complete shock. It takes her only a few seconds to conclude that Marth thinks she and Link are…oh goddesses.

At first she feels ill, embarrassment and guilt wracking her body at the thought of Marth believing such things; however, she soon feels even worse knowing that he thinks Link and her are simply messing with him. And now she cannot even get the chance to go out with him. She had been hoping for him to ask her out for so long, dreaming about it at night, and now she'll never be able to. Oh, what has she done?

She freezes the way she is, the phone clutched in her tight grip and her heart aching, when she realizes something very important. It isn't what _she_ has done, but what _he_ has done. Link.

Immense rage surges through her as she slams the phone back in its holder on the wall and storms up the stairs. Fury rises inside of Zelda like a tsunami and all she wants to do is yell at Link till the night comes and he's back to being a quiet wolf. Does he have no sense of privacy? Is it common for him to listen on other people's phone calls? She clenches her teeth as she swings open the door at the top of the steps with such force that it slams against the wall with a loud _crack_.

From the family room, Link flinches at each loud footstep that echoes from down the hall. Aryll just stands next to the couch, staring at her brother in shock and disappointment.

It doesn't take long for Zelda to rush into the room with her hands clenched into fists by her side and her beautiful face twisted in terrible anger. Her light blue eyes gleam like deadly icicles and her mouth is pulled down into an irritated frown. Her long blonde hair swishes with each step she takes: a venomous beauty.

Link swallows nervously as his normally calm secretary stomps up to him, so much that he has to start backing up until he is pressed against the wall and she is only a foot away from him.

"What do you think you were doing!" She demands while jabbing a finger at him, her alarmingly powerful voice ringing in his ears. "Why did you listen in on my phone call!"

A short pause passes between them as Link thinks up a lie that might save his life. "W-well…" he begins to mutter as his stomach twists like a pretzel. "I…uh, just thought that maybe he was investigating for me because I've been gone and haven't responded to any calls or e-mails I might have gotten –"

"Don't you check caller I.D.?" She snaps, her mind working like a lawyer persecuting somebody but her voice as deadly as a snake. Aryll continues to stand beside the couch, her mouth agape as she watches the scene as if it is a movie.

Swallowing again, Link answers a bit shakily, "Yes."

"Then you would have seen that it was Marth calling me!" Zelda accosts, poking him in the chest again. "So then why would you think that - of all people to be looking for you - it would be _him_? The company phone would have called you or Ganondorf, not Marth from his _home_ phone!"

Feeling like a caged animal under Zelda's wrathful gaze, Link straightens up and glares down at the woman in an endeavor to claw his way back to the offensive. All this talk about Marth makes the blood rush to his face and his skin prickle. He hates how…how…_normal_ she sounds with him. She doesn't call him "professor" and actually laughs freely, even a little too much so.

"What does it even matter?" Link retorts hotly. "You can't go out with him anyways because he's your co-worker."

Confusion strikes Zelda for a second until she retorts with the speed of a snake lashing out, "He isn't my co-worker, he works in another department – "

"So I have to work in a different department for you to call me by my first name?" Link interrupts, his voice rising over hers.

Zelda stomps her foot in aggravation and screams back with bitter amazement, "So _this_ is what this is about! You wanting to be called by your stupid first name? Do you not realize what has just happened? Marth now thinks that you and I are…are…ugh!"

She spins away and starts stomping across the room, her fury craving for something to destroy as her fists shake by her side.

Aryll sends wary glances between the two, hoping the neighbors can't hear the altercation getting out of control.

"I don't see why you are attracted to him anyways," Link snorts, prideful that he has caused the steely Zelda to let her true emotions show for once, even if it's absolute hatred. "He's an arrogant fool with blue hair."

"He is _not_ arrogant!" Zelda instantly defends him with a booming voice, turning back around to pierce Link with her ice-cold eyes. "And he accidentally dyed his hair blue in college, it was a mistake!"

Link takes a few steps forward, annoyed at how far Zelda is willing to defend this man. "Who permanently dies their hair blue by _mistake_? Oh, I know! Maybe if he was drunk or high!"

"Guys…" Aryll mumbles weakly from next to the fighting pair but they completely ignore her.

"Well I hope you are happy because he'll never talk to me again!" Zelda cries, her aggression wavering into sadness but she keeps up her enraged expression. "How am I ever going to explain to him that you are at my house because you are a wolf at night and need my help because you cannot talk to your boss because we have bad feelings about him!"

Not really knowing what to say to that, Link huffs and answers defiantly, "Maybe we'd get along better if you would just call me _Link_."

An immense annoyance erupts in Zelda and she stomps her foot again. "Is that what you want? For me to be disrespectful and lazy like you!"

Link goes to open his mouth but Zelda doesn't let him speak. She's at full force now, nobody is going to stop her.

"Fine! You can get your wish, _Oakwood_!" Zelda spits out his last name like dirt on her mouth. And with that she spins around once more and dashes down the hall towards the garage, yelling behind her, "I'll be back soon!"

Aryll chases after her immediately as Link simply stands there with heart beating painfully against his chest and his face is flushed from the dispute. As he watches Zelda's shaking form vanish around the hallway's turn, his sister right on her heels, shock and instant regret already begin to seep into him. What in the world has he gotten himself into?

Zelda slams the garage door behind her and flings her car door open. Aryll barely manages to slip into the garage and then stops abruptly and apologizes fervently. "Oh my goddesses, Zelda!" She sputters as her companion hesitates at the threshold of the car door. "I had no idea Link would do something like that! Don't worry I'll yell at him all day if I have to, just don't do anything reckless -,"

"It's okay, Aryll," Zelda forces herself to interrupt in an emotionless tone but leftover bitterness and frustration leaks from her voice. "I just need to get out for a little bit. I'm only going to the grocery store."

Aryll nods, a little confused and winded from the strange and sudden turn of events. "Alright…" she mumbles blearily, "but you'll come back, won't you?"

"Of course," Zelda affirms while sliding into her car and inserting the key.

"Well, when you do return I'll be sure to have Link straightened out." The young woman assures her friend with a curt nod and her hands on her hips.

Ignoring her comment, the engine roars to life like an agitated cat and, without a word, Zelda backs out of the garage and disappears down the road so fast that she's a mere blur.

Aryll is left standing there alone in the garage, still befuddled by how quick everything has happened.

As she slowly makes her way back into the house, she sighs heavily. Link and Zelda were getting along so well, leave it to her brother to mess everything up.

She returns to the living room to find her brother sitting on the couch with his hands cradling his head and his elbows pressed against his knees. He feels the shift of the cushions as his sister sits beside him and her gaze on him tingles his skin.

"Why do I mess everything up?" He groans, shaking his head furiously.

In a much calmer voice than she originally planned, Aryll explains softly to him. "You are more of a _do_ then _think_ kind of person, Link. You saw that guy's name on the caller I.D., got jealous, then did something stupid."

Link snaps his head up and glares at his sister. "I am not jealous," he states in a steely voice.

Aryll rolls her eyes and quotes him, "_I don't see why you are attracted to him…so I have to work in a different department for you to call me by my first name?_"

Link hunches over again, helplessly gazing at the floor, while his sister continues in her normal voice. "It's all there, brother. You just better apologize when she gets back before she decides to throw you out."

Link sighs and rubs his forehead, "Do you think she'll be okay with it?"

Aryll pats her brother's back before standing up and saying with a shrug, "I have no clue. All I can do for you is wish you good luck getting back on her good side."

She leaves her brother there, knowing its best for him to dwell in his own thoughts and figure out what he needs to do. He feels stupid and guilty for his actions and continues to be furious at Marth for calling and ruining everything.

He groans again. What was he thinking? Was he even thinking? The Oakwoods always took pride in trusting their instincts (which they claim to never be wrong) but it seems that his instincts here have led him to destroy his relationship with Zelda. He wishes she was here to tell him some random fact about how many times instincts save lives so he can get some faith back into his own, but of course the room remains silent. The only noise is his mind echoing all of the stupid things he said in their quarrel and Zelda's vicious beautiful blue eyes flash in his mind.

* * *

Author's Note

Yeah, the ending isn't really all that great to me. I kind of gave up, sorry. ^^;

So yay! Link and Zelda got into a major fight! :D I think that I portrayed their emotions relatively well throughout it, so that they each have reasonable reasons to be angry, but I won't know for sure unless somebody tells me. Please let me know if anything bothered you during that and what I can do to improve on it. Critique is wonderful! :-)

I incorporated the theme of rivers need springs in this chapter. There are a lot of meanings you can tie to the saying, but I thought that the best one that worked for this story was how every little thing helps with a greater (or worse if your pessimistic) cause. Want to hear a little secret (or fun fact, depending how you look at it)? I got that saying from a fortune cookie about a year ago and pinned it onto my wall because I knew I wanted to use it one day for a story. I'm glad I was finally able too.

And I was happy to add in a brief section about Zelda's mom who she hasn't seen in about 25 years. I just wanted to show you the basic relationship between them, more complex feelings will come up later.

Okay, I am _really_ sorry for my super long author's note. Please tell me if you hate them and I'll try my best to shorten them up.

I am planning on taking a bit of a break from this story to write a one-shot that I've been dying to work on but have been too busy to do so. With school almost over (officially ends the 16th), I have a lot more free time and once summer is here I'll be able to whip out chapters quicker than I have been. I am sorry for the upcoming delay! Please don't be angry!

Lastly, I just wanted to let you all know that I added a section on my profile called "The Science Behind Rivers Need Springs" under the section called "About Rivers Need Springs". It contains some spoilers and is meant to be used once the story is over so you can look back on it if you ever got confused. Though if you don't mind spoilers then go right ahead and read it, though remember, things are subject to change.

Okay, I'll shut up now. Thank you for reading and please review! I love reviews! c:

~~Wave~~

Works Cited

"Latin Word for Old: Senex Senis - Latin Word List." _Latin Word List - List of Lati Words and Latin Dictionary_. Web. 29 Apr. 2010.

"World Language Statistics and Facts." _World Languages & Cultures - Learn Languages - Know Cultures - Visit Vistawide_. Web. 11 May 2010.

"Xhosa Alphabet, Pronunciation and Language." _Omniglot - the Guide to Languages, Alphabets and Other Writing Systems_. Web. 28 Apr. 2010.


	5. Chapter 5

_Author's Note_

_Previously on Rivers Need Springs:_

Aryll discovers that the voice Link heard in his dream was Tribus Twilit, an ancient language of the Twilit people. Also, the Crepusculumcytes have grown from their original size but not much else has been learned on them.

Zelda shares more of her past, talking about how her mother was an alcoholic who cheated on her father and left the family when she was five. Zelda hasn't seen her since.

Then Link and Zelda got into a major fight because Marth (Zelda's crush) had called her on the home phone and Link eavesdropped on the conversation. After Marth found out Link was with Zelda at her house after a series of events, he abandoned Zelda and the woman was enraged with Link for invading her privacy. The chapter ended with Link regretting being rude to Zelda while she left for the grocery store in a huff.

_And that is what you need to know for Rivers Need Springs._

_I just want to say thank you for all of the reviews last chapter. Although I was a little upset because I only got six when, to the first chapter, I got fifteen (big difference). I know I take forever to update though I still love reviews and they motivate me to write faster. But enough about me complaining, I don't want to be one of those people whining about reviews. So thank you **MythCreatorWriter**, **Canada Cowboy, Legend of Zelda 4 Life**, **La Generala**, **Chiharu-angel,** and **Star Cyber 2** for reviewing last chapter. :)_

_Okay, enough of my rambling. On to the story._

Chapter Five – Maple Syrup is the Cure for Suffering

* * *

SUNDAY

* * *

By the time sunset has come, Zelda still has not returned home after her and Link's dispute. Now the man, back in his wolf form, paces hurriedly around in the kitchen. However, his distress is not because of his worry for Zelda but because of his confusion at the events happening to him.

First Link is a man who can't stop thinking about what he had done to his secretary and he is trying to think up ways to apologize. But, like all days, the sun leaves the world and his body transforms into the legendary wolf. He hears everything from his sister's heartbeat in another room to a television playing from a house a few buildings down. The scent of lilies and cooked meat wafts into his nose as he shakes his pelt, ridding himself of a heavy coat of fur that he continues to shed. Every night he has been losing more and more fur, so he is no longer sweltering hot and has a nice breezy feel from the air conditioning. Though tonight he is actually a bit cold, perhaps the temperature dropped more than usual outside?

More importantly though, Link is having troubles being a wolf. One moment he knows everything a human should know…and then he forgets the name of the blonde woman with pigtails and sea blue eyes that keeps speaking to him in a tongue he isn't familiar with. His surroundings are strange and he longs desperately for the comfortable outdoors with its fresh air and tall trees. The smell of chemicals frightens him and the feel of polished wood underneath his paws makes him feel like he is walking on slippery mud.

He flinches every time the young blonde woman pets the top of his head affectionately, her fingers twirling his fur around and her voice loud in his sensitive ears. Appalled, he cannot comprehend how this woman is so comfortable around a wolf of his size and strength. If he didn't have that feeling in his gut telling him that she meant no harm, he would have attacked ages ago.

For him it is like waking up from a really good dream but not remembering anything that had happened, just that it was good. Although, with him it isn't entirely good, a strong sense of guilt still tears at his heart. Unfortunately, he has no idea why.

It is now nine o'clock at night and Link's ears perk up at the sound of a car pulling into the garage. Aryll hears it too and clicks the television off, standing up and waiting anxiously in the family room door.

Zelda's form appears a few seconds later with five large paper bags clenched in her hands. Aryll offers to help her but her friend rejects the offer. Zelda's face is stoic, her steely blue gaze passing over Link for a moment before she averts her eyes and stares straight ahead.

Link sends the new woman a piercing, analyzing glare while lying next to a fig tree in the corner of the family room. He hears how her heartbeat quickens a bit at the sight of him. Her golden hair is twisted into a bun, but Link doesn't know that before it was in a flowing ponytail, though she hasn't changed out of her purple sweater and white pants yet.

As she moves into the kitchen, he detects the sweet scent of lilies through all the jumbled smells of food. Although all he knows about the woman is her appearance and her scent, he understands not to attack her and that she's upset with him…but why?

The new woman doesn't stay long. She speaks a few words to the other, younger looking lady before going into a room down the hall and locking the door. She doesn't even acknowledge Link but he doesn't mind, he just goes back to pondering his predicament.

Aryll sighs, frustrated that her brother didn't even make an effort to show Zelda that he feels bad. She focuses her gaze on his wolf body curled up by the pot with his head held high and his piercing blue eyes staring back at her. Frustration gnaws at her as she glares into his noble gaze, is he trying to act superior or something?

"What is with you, Link?" She snaps at him, hands on her hips as she accosts him from across the room. "You should have showed some kind of apology, anything besides simply glaring!"

However, her brother makes no move that he understands what she is saying. His ears twitch forward at the sound of her voice addressing him, but that is all he does.

Rolling her eyes, she releases and agitated sigh and groans, "Looks like I have to take your blood test now that she isn't here."

The second Aryll picks up the syringe from the table, Link's calm demeanor transforms for the worse. He swiftly changes his stance to a hunting crouch with his teeth mashed together in a furious snarl. His ears lay flat on his head and his fur bristles, blue eyes shining with strength and aggression.

Aryll freezes the way she is, her heart pounding and her palms becoming sweaty. Swallowing nervously, she slowly places the syringe back onto the table, her fearful eyes never leaving his. As soon as she releases the item, Link returns to a much calmer stance. His snarl vanishes, his fur lies flat, and he straightens ups into a sitting position. It's as if he never took a threatening approach at all.

Bewildered and curious, Aryll reaches her hand out to the syringe and Link's feral eyes follow her every move. She closes her fingers around the object and he's back in his fighting stance in the blink of an eye. It isn't difficult for his sister to realize that something isn't right.

"Link…" she says in a cautious voice, "You better be joking with me right now and, if you are, stop it or else I swear I will skin you alive."

Her brother doesn't react to her threat, just continues to snarl at her as his claws dig into the floor.

After a moment of hesitation, Aryll lets go of the syringe and instantly sprints down the hallway to Zelda's room. Link goes back to sitting right away, glad that he scarred away the woman with the sharp, tooth-like object.

"Zelda!" Aryll cries fervently as she pounds on the door. "Come quick, I think something is wrong with Link!"

Although Zelda is still furious with her boss, she doesn't miss the fear or how her friend implores for her as she continues to knock rapidly. The secretary rushes to the door and swings it open, barely managing to dodge Aryll's fist coming down at where wood used to be.

The older woman takes in her friend's terrified appearance. Aryll's light blue eyes are as wide as they have ever been and her face is flushed from fear and concern. Her shaking body is clothed in a fuzzy pink sweater and white pajama pants with red hearts on them, reminding Zelda of Valentine's day. However, her mind doesn't stay on those thoughts for long as she questions with a demanding tone, "What's wrong?"

Aryll frantically explains to her friend through heavy breathing about her brother's odd behavior, Zelda nodding along and keeping a blank face as she listens.

"It's like he cannot understand a word I say!" The younger woman exclaims, glancing down the hallway in fear that her brother will show up with that horrible look of fury in his cobalt eyes.

Zelda gives a curt nod and says with determination "I'll check it out" before heading down the hallway and back into the family room.

She finds her boss tucked away in the corner of the room with the fig tree, his black fur blending in with the shadows. The only things that give him away are the lights glistening off his dagger like teeth and his narrowed blue eyes.

"Professor," Zelda addresses him with a calm voice, barely managing to hide her terror as she approaches him. "If you can understand what I am saying, please nod your head."

Link doesn't move and continues to glare at the woman in front of him.

Worry begins to seep into her mind but she pushes it away. Once more, she tries again in a determined voice. "If you are playing around, professor, I beg you to stop. Now, please come out from behind the plant so that we know you understand us."

Like before, her boss remains frozen in the same position.

It's deathly quiet for a moment, Zelda's face growing pale as she lets her steely façade slip away. She stares with wide, fearful eyes at the now unfamiliar wolf before her. Never has she seen such caution, confusion, and power in his cobalt eyes. Changing her mindset to his perspective, she can understand how strange he must think everything is, why he must be so cautious. That being said…

"I'll be right back," she whispers to Aryll before rushing into the kitchen, leaving the younger woman to be alone with her now transformed brother.

"Zelda!" She hisses, glancing fearfully at the wolf. "Hurry up, please..."

Her companion returns in a mater of seconds with a huge, uncooked steak in her hand.

"If we assume that the professor finds his surroundings unfamiliar then he probably does not fully trust us," Zelda explains while slowing down her pace. She bends over and starts inching towards the wolf, forgetting about her fury at him for the moment and focusing on the task at hand. "Like most animals, they will like you after you show them that you only want to help them. This works best with food."

"But…" Aryll questions nervously, her eyes never leaving her friend as Zelda creeps closer to Link. "If he doesn't recognize us and thinks he's trapped in this strange environment, don't you think that he'd be attacking us?"

Zelda stops for a moment, turning the words over in her head, before straightening up and facing her companion with an inquisitive expression. "How exactly did your brother act before I got home?"

"Well…" she mumbles, glancing to the side in thought. "I was still mad at him for his poor behavior to you earlier so I didn't try to make conversation with him. I came out of the guest room about…twenty minutes after sunset I think. He was curled up next to that plant he is with now – you know of his sudden plant fetish – so I just sat on the couch and started watching some T.V. shows. Nothing really odd there I suppose…"

Zelda pauses for a moment, processing the information, before reasoning, "You didn't ever approach the professor, so perhaps he didn't think of you as a threat? Either way, I am going to try to win him over."

Even as she say this, Zelda can't help but think that it should be _him_ trying to win over _her _after what he did. But, as she knows, her boss is a completely different person now and probably has no recollection of the contention.

As Zelda gets progressively closer to Link, the said man (or wolf) crouches lower to the ground; his piercing eyes following her every move. She acts slowly, like a cloud gracefully drifting through the sky, and it seems to take her forever to gently place the steak a few feet away from him before backing away with carefully placed steps.

The two women stand across the room for a long time, waiting for Link to make a move, but he simply continues to stare at them and takes no notice to the food.

"Knowing Link," Aryll whispers after a series of time into Zelda's ear. "He'll get starving soon and chow down that meat, we should probably just leave him alone."

Zelda nods and the two quietly exit the room but, to Link, the sound of their footsteps is louder than his pounding heart. He listens to them enter a nearby room together and hears their shallow breathing of worry. They begin speaking in the foreign language and Link can still not understand a word of it.

He feels like he just woke up from a deep sleep and forgot everything about his life. However, he still seems to know the basics. He understands that he shouldn't hurt the two women who walk on their hind legs with only yellow fur on the top of their heads. And although their appearance is much different from his, he doesn't find it weird or frightening at all. He thinks he is the terrifying one, and not because of his looks, but because he's a weapon who is completely clueless. When the two women laid eyes on him with their fearful looks, he actually felt awful for making them so scared of him but he had growled nonetheless.

It is difficult for him to explain this feeling. In a sense it's as if there are two different people inside of him, fighting to have their emotions and thoughts come first. Link wants the one who knows what is wrong with him, the one with a strong mind and powerful reasoning, but his other side seems to be superior. It only wants him to focus on one task, and desperately, too. So desperately that Link can actually feel the emotion in his heart, painfully gripping it and making his mind fog with worry. But worry for what?

And then he hears a familiar voice float through his mind, like an afterthought, only louder. "_Fa ma…fa ma ta le…"_

Link freezes how he is, still crouched behind the plant, but his ears are perked up straight and his eyes glaze over. These words continue to swim around in his head, repeating themselves over and over again.

"_Fa ma…fa ma ta le…"_

And, after about the sixth or seventh time, he begins to realize that he actually understands what the words mean.

His mouth drops open at the realization, his tongue hanging out and his breathing coming short. "_Help me..._" the words say. "_Help us."_

But help whom?

And, to make Link even more jumpy, a powerful _pecking_ sound booms in his ears and he leaps back in surprise…only to slam into the wall behind him. However, he ignores his clumsiness and turns an ear to the direction of the noise.

He discovers that the sound is coming from the food room (which is his new name for the kitchen since he cannot remember the proper term). He begins to walk slowly towards the noise, his cushiony paws making him silent as he slithers around the couch and through the open door into the food room. The noise is louder now and he takes a whiff of the air, trying to detect the scent of this clamorous creature, but all he smells is the mix of meat and vegetables. His ear twitches in an attempt to hear the creature better and the sound of its pounding heart booms in his head. The animal must be right around the corner…

Link swiftly peaks his head around the counter and sees…nothing. Absolutely nothing out of the ordinary.

Yet the sound continues on and, this time, it's from higher up than before. He snaps his head in that direction and stares out the window above the sink. Finally he sees something.

The creature is about as big as the window itself and can barely hold onto the windowsill with its meaty talons. The animal keeps thrusting his head forward to peck on the window with its smooth beak, but it instantly notices Link and freezes in its movements, its golden orbs focused on the wolf before him. Even though the shadows of the night cover the animal in a thin blanket of black, Link can still see how soft its mass of brown feathers look and he wonders if he is hot with so many of them.

Link is not sure what to do; he simply stares at the bird in wonder and waits for it to do something. However, he is pleased that he finally recognizes another creature and is able to give it a name. _Owl_, he thinks.

Suddenly, the owl lets out a loud and powerful _hoot_ while it flaps its wings about. Link takes a frightened step back as the bird continues to call to him. He groans a bit in aggravation, annoyed that this animal cannot speak a language he understands.

And then, as if the owl had been reading it thoughts, it begins talking in a much more short, rougher language like the barking of a dog. This time, Link understands what the bird is saying.

"I came to save you, Human Wolf," the owl says slowly, flapping its wings again and shifting around on the windowsill, trying to get more comfortable. His talons grip on the wood, digging into it and chipping away the paint.

When Link does not respond, the owl speaks again. "My name is Kaepora Gaebora, what is your name, Human Wolf?"

Link swallows a bit nervously, wondering what he should do, before he realizes that he is in no danger. The bird – Kaepora– is trapped outside and, either way, Link is positive that he could easily kill the creature if it attacked. He decides that he might as well go along with the animal's conversation.

If Link could smile, he would, because a surge of joy flies through him that he remembers his own name. _Link_, he thinks, letting the word bounce around in his head. Opening his mouth, he goes to speak it but no sound comes out. How does he say the word aloud?

Noticing the wolf's puzzled expression, the owl explains to him in its mock dog barking, "You are a like a puppy, Human Wolf. Your sounds have no meaning to them but you understand me, yes? So I will do the speaking and you listen. Do you agree with that?"

Link hesitates, feeling overwhelmed from the owl and his own lack of memory, before nodding. The owl fluffs its feathers, as if in preparation for a long night, before saying with satisfaction, "Good, good. I have been watching you, Human Wolf. You are human in the sunlight but wolf under the moon. Are the female humans holding you hostage, Human Wolf?"

Link doesn't move, not sure whether or not the women are in fact keeping him against his will. A part of him is saying no, the part that remembers his own name, so he decides to shake his head in response to the question.

"No?" The owl says curiously, gasping somewhat. "Then whatever are you doing inside their home?"

Link opens his mouth to speak, before he remembers that he cannot, but it doesn't matter. It seems Kaepora Gaebora answers his own question.

"Aw yes, you are still part human. I wonder how odd that must feel for you? Surely this will be a story of the ages for you to tell your human friends, will it not?"

The owl pauses for a moment, staring at Link with its golden eyes as if waiting for him to do something, but then he begins talking again in what now seems like meaningless circles of conversation.

"Oh, but we should really be focusing on the task at hand, shouldn't we? I am a spiritual creature; I sense the voices passing between all beings of life. I am not telepathic and I cannot read minds, but that would certainly be interesting, would it not? Anyways, I have been listening to the words flowing through your mind when you are in your current form. The language is from the Twilight People, Human Wolf. Did you know that?"

For once the owl gives Link enough time to respond with a nod of the head and the owl flaps its wing, a sign of his joy at his companion's response.

"Good, good. I am sure you are aware then that the Twilight People are calling for your help, begging you to save them. Did you know that? Oh, but you cannot even speak! How could you understand that language…yet you understand me? You are quite a confusing wolf, do you know that, Human Wolf?"

Link quickly nods before Kaepora Gaebora can start talking again.

"Yes, yes," it mock barks, twisting its head back and forth as if getting rid of a crick in his neck. "The oddest thing, however, is your appearance. All animals know of the sacred Blue Eyed Beast and you, Human Wolf, look exactly like the sacred creature. Humans are capable of magic, which they call _science_, but I have never seen such magic as powerful as this. Either way, you have the power of the Blue Eyed Beast flowing through you, Human Wolf. The Twilight People are in incredible danger and they are praying for a savior, you are that savior. Are you following me here?"

Although all the information is incredibly unbelievable, Link finds himself nodding along eagerly, completely fascinated by what Kaepora Gaebora is telling him.

"Good, good," the owl repeats himself, shaking his head and digging his talons deeper into the wood. It flaps its wings for a moment before continuing, "The Twilight People need you, Human Wolf. They are in much hurt and they need the Blue Eyed Beast to save them. You must escape that cold house and find the Twilight People. They _need_ you, like the plants need the sun or how owls need fat juicy mice. That sounds good right now, huh? Fat juicy mice…oh yum."

Suddenly the owl begins to let out a series of loud hooting noises, in what seems like laughter, before addressing Link again in its barking noise. "Oh, ho, ho, ho! Look how your tongue hangs out and your eyes grow wide at the mention of such delicious meat. You must be hungry, Human Wolf. I'll tell you what, you eat up and rest tonight, think about what I have told you. I will observe this cold home with which you are incased in and find a way out for you. Meet me here tomorrow under the moon at this same time and we will find a way for you to escape. Are you willing to do that?"

Now Link finally hesitates, letting the words of the owl float through his head and questions begin to form. How much of this is even true? And, if it is true, how will they know where these Twilight People are?

He begins backing away slowly, shaking his head in bafflement and fear. What is he supposed to do? What –

"Aw, you are troubled and perplexed, Human Wolf." The owl observes with deep understanding, cocking its head to the side. "You think of what I have said and meet me here again tomorrow as we planned. You do not have to leave with me to find the Twilight People then, just be there to know that this conversation is not a figment of your imagination. However, I certainly hope you make up your mind soon because I am not sure how long the Twilight People will last. I will see you tomorrow, Human Wolf."

And, without another word (which is a bit of a relief to Link from all his talking), Kaepora Gaebora flaps his mighty wings and flies into the shadowy night, his brown form gone in seconds.

The owl leaves like the wind, the breeze of information he left still grazing Link's mind and giving him chills. He can still hear the beating of the owl's wings and his heartbeat fading away as his companion disappears into the night. He clings to the sound because it reminds him that it is all so very real. He is not crazy, it happened.

And as he returns to the room he had originally been, he lets himself shudder. The owl told him that he is hearing the desperate prayers of Twilight People because he has part of the Blue Eyed Beast inside of him. Strangely, the two terms _Twilight People_ and _Blue Eyed Beast_ are familiar to him, like something that he has been familiar with for lifetimes.

But, more importantly, he is supposed to escape this place and save these distressed people. What do they need to be saved from in the first place? And how can he do it?

How can he save people if he doesn't even know where they are?

* * *

MONDAY

* * *

Link wakes up seconds before sunrise, lying in a heap on the ground in his wolf form and escaping a horrifying dream where dying Twilits scream his name. The thought of Kaepora Gaebora and the endangered Twilight People flashes through his mind for less than a second before the first stroke of sunlight paints across the cloudy gray sky. He is instantly engulfed in a bright flash of light and feels his body being stretched in all directions. In a matter of one second he has gone from troubled wolf, confused about saving helpless people, to a man that is oblivious to what has happened. All he knows is that he is completely naked and that he is burning hot.

Link lies on his back in his human form, feeling light headed and a bit confused. He does not realize that all of his memories from last night are gone, all he cares about is Zelda. Did she ever come home last night? Surely she is still furious with him.

He gets up from the ground and stretches, scowling at the thought of putting clothes on his already burning body. He lets out a loud, obnoxious yawn before grabbing a pair of beige cargo shorts and quickly putting them on.

It seems he has gotten dressed just in time because, right after he zippers up his shorts, he notices Aryll peeking through the doorway from the hallway, her eyes wide at first but then softening at the sight of her _human_ brother.

"Hey, Aryll," Link greets her sleepily, rubbing his eyes.

"Are you…" his sister begins to ask suspiciously, entering the room at what seems like a snail's pace. Her eyes scan him up and down, looking for clues of…something…before finishing her question. "Okay?"

Link passes a hand through his messy blonde hair and sends his sister a goofy grin. "As good as I can be when I am a werewolf. Why do you ask?"

Aryll swallows nervously, grateful that her brother appears to be fine but now she is worried that he doesn't even seem to recall his behavior last night as a wolf. What if he forgot even more than his actions as his animal self?

"Do you remember Zelda?" She asks suddenly and Link sends her confused look.

"Well, yeah…" he responds as if he is saying _duh_. "Do you mean the fight? I could never forget that…Goddesses, I still have to apologize - "

"But you don't remember _anything_ of last night when you were a wolf?" Aryll interrupts, trying to keep her newfound fear hidden but failing miserably.

Link stares at her, observing every detail in her raised eyebrows and agape mouth. There are bags under her eyes and her hair is a mess, she hasn't even tied it back in its usual pigtails yet.

He pauses, struggling to recall anything last night but comes out completely blank. "Now that you mention it, I can't think of a single thing…"

He trails off there, finally realizing the reason behind his sister's concern and senses his own feeling of dread crawling into his stomach. What did he do last night?

The tense silence is broken by the sound of footsteps coming from down the hall. They turn their heads to the entrance of the family room, awaiting the arrival of their other housemate, Zelda.

Link's heart is pounding in anticipation, terrified of what she might be like. Will she be venomous to him from betraying her like he did yesterday? Probably. But will he get the chance to even attempt to apologize?

The woman on both of the Oakwoods' minds enters the room, and the second she does Link's heart stops and Aryll gasps.

Zelda leans against the doorframe with one arm while the other is on her hip. Her long blonde hair falls around her shoulders and a sly smile graces her face. The more astonishing factor is in her choice of attire though. It is as if Zelda also lost her memory (but of her entire life rather than just one night) and dressed in clothing she found at the bottom of her closet. She wears a baggy red and yellow-stripped, low cut t-shirt and ripped denim shorts that barely go past her butt, making Link flushed. Her feet are completely bare and she wears heavy black eye liner, giving her the look of a raccoon.

"Hey, Oakwood," she greets casually, acting like she calls him that every day, and stares at her boss with a steely ice-cold gaze. Link shudders. While Zelda may be dressing…_differently_ her stare still sends chills up his spine.

"H-hey….Zelda," he stammers, not able to take his eyes off of her attire.

"How you feeling?" She asks, her tone relaxed but her glare showing the fury she holds. Link can only wonder what is in store for him. Zelda's wrath is like a volcano, when it erupts there is no stopping it and everybody in the way will be boiled in her fire.

"Fine," he answers a bit weakly before Aryll adds in, pretending that nothing is different between them in her innocent tone,

"He doesn't remember a thing of last night. Odd, isn't it?"

"Well, he certainly doesn't look like he's in pain at the moment," Zelda remarks, her smile transforming into a smirk and a mischievous glint lights up in her eyes as she looks at Link. "If that's the case…Oakwood, come with me."

Her command is powerful and she doesn't even wait for a response before marching down the hallway. Link and Aryll exchange puzzled glances, both completely appalled at Zelda's sudden behavior, but then they follow their transformed companion down the hall nevertheless.

"I was thinking about what you said," she addresses Link over her shoulder, and he can hear the smirk in her voice. "About how I need to be more relaxed, so I took your advice."

"I see…" Link manages to mumble through his astonishment. _What the heck did I do to her?_

And as the trio stops in front of Zelda's bedroom door, her hand resting on the knob, she begins to have doubts. She had thought of this plan last night in all of her rage and embarrassment, so now she realizes that her revenge will probably not go well (as all revenge schemes seem to fail epically in movies) but she does not want to let her boss get away with such infantile behavior. She has already screamed at him and dressed up like a – for lack of a better word – hussy, what else has she got to lose? She wants to do this, like being rude to somebody will make her tougher. It sounds stupid but she decides to follow her original plan anyways. She gets tired of people thinking they can order her around because she won't do anything about it since she's too _professional _or _nice_. Perhaps this will prove to them that she is not easy to manipulate, like how her father fell for her mother's beguiling ways. Shoving the little bit of guilt left in her as well as the thoughts of her treacherous mom, she looks for a way to distract herself before she changes her mind. She gets a bit of relief that the house is not as cold as it was yesterday so she isn't a popsicle with her lack of clothing…at least not yet.

"I'm sure you're hungry, Oakwood," Zelda remarks, keeping up her act despite her sane side telling her this plan is for lunatics, which she is not. Swinging the door open, she says casually, "there are some pancakes inside that I am sure you'll find to your liking."

Link hesitates, staring at Zelda as his face goes pale at what she might be up to. Her look shows no emotion except mischievousness, an expression he has never seen on her, and it scares him. It scares him to see how much one mistake he made caused her to take on such a different personality. He must have hurt Zelda real bad in order to make her go to such drastic measures to get him back. He's sure this is all some crazy revenge scheme and recalls how furious she had been only yesterday. With a calming breath, he decides that if he ever wants to cure things between them, he might as well succumb to whatever torture she has waiting for him.

So, holding back a defeated sigh, Link marches into the room confidently. He takes only three steps before his foot falls on something uncomfortable but, thankfully, the item is not sharp. Looking down, he sees a thin, almost transparent, string underneath his foot. Recognizing it to be a fishing line, he starts to wonder why Zelda would have a fishing line in her room. The only time he can think of when people have fishing lines rather than fishing is for the traps seen in the movies…

Link instantly looks up but he is too late. A huge lump of caramel colored liquid is falling towards his head, flubbing around like a glob of Jell-O. He manages to cover his face with his hands in a last attempt to protect himself from it but to no avail. His hands do nothing to stop the onslaught of liquid; some of the light brown substance instantly clings to his fingers while most of it slaps him in the face before slowly gliding down his cheeks and down his neck, shoulders, and bare chest. His mouth falls open in astonishment, keeping his eyes closed against the liquid and simply standing there frozen, letting the drops of the substance trickle down his spine like raindrops and he shudders at the cold touch.

A few drops of the substance trickles into his mouth and he instantly identifies the liquid. Maple syrup. Zelda Harkarian, his uptight secretary, just tricked him to have maple syrup douse him from head to toe. Wow.

Link begins to turn around, the sticky liquid already hardening like a bronze shell, and he stares in astonishment at the two women before him, waiting for them to say something. As suspected, Aryll's mouth hangs wide open and she cannot take her eyes off of her brother. To his surprise, though, Zelda actually looks worried and shameful. Her head is held high but her pride that was burning in her eyes before is replaced by worry and a frown pulls on her lips. She takes no delight to the revenge she has given to her boss and, even though she knew this would happen, feels awful about it. She has done nothing to help their torn relationship, just made it worse. It seems no matter how hard she tries she cannot help but be human and make mistakes like everybody else.

But, to her surprise, she suddenly hears laughter coming from Link and she stares up at him in awe. He throws his head back, laughing with the hoots of an owl, as syrup continues to slowly drip down his shoulders and stomach like sweet sweat.

After a few moments of Link's random burst of hysteric chuckling, Zelda and Aryll exchange perplexed yet relieved glances. Link waits till Zelda looks at him again with those big and alarmed soft blue eyes. Placing his hands on his hips, he licks his lips and jokes, "While your form of revenge is very odd, Zelda, it is quite delicious. Feel free to do it again whenever you like."

There is a moment of silence, Link still smiling like a goof as he lets the syrup slide in clumps around his body while Zelda is completely bewildered by her boss's reaction. She had expected fury from him, maybe even a little bit of hurt, but not…_this_. Of course she does not want him to feel such negative emotions (although when she originally thought of the plan that was her intention), it is simply a pleasant surprise.

"You…" she begins to mumble, raising her eyebrows at her boss. "Aren't mad?"

Link tugs at his hair, pulling apart strands that are stuck together as if glue bonded them, and replies with a comforting smile, "Of course not. If the only way I can show my regret in being so rude to you is to let you cover me in your _wrathful_ maple syrup, then so be it."

He flashes her an even more charming grin and Zelda blushes, looking down at the ground in utter relief. In all honesty she was expecting to hate him for a long time after the incident, but just the fact that he doesn't hate her right now for covering him in a sticky liquid seems to make up for it somehow. It's an odd, overwhelming feeling. One that makes her heart feel light and a smile tug on her lips. It isn't really happiness, but a soft blithe flowing through her body just at the sight of how carefree he can be. She never thought she'd be pleased for his laziness and strong sense of humor.

_Maybe I didn't like Marth as much as I thought I did…_she thinks to herself, wishing for a fleeting moment that she could be the syrup on his body. But then her face heats up at the inappropriate thought and she covers it with a wide smile. "Well then you are very welcome," she chirps while clasping her hands behind her back.

She goes to say more, to apologize for her act anyways (and definitely expects an apology from him back) but she stops when she sees the sneaky gleam in his eyes. He spreads his arms wide and chortles, "Want a hug to celebrate us forgiving each other?"

Zelda eyes his sticky body with disgust, the syrup now looking as revolting as thorn bushes covered in vomit at the thought of it getting on her. Backing away slowly, she smiles politely and gently denies the offer. "Um…maybe later – "

"Come on, just one hug," he persists, coming closer with his goofy grin as Zelda starts backing away a bit faster.

"No thank you – AAAHHH!"

Zelda squeals the second Link springs upon her with amazing, almost inhuman, speed. He wraps her in his arms, lifting her up as she struggles to wiggle out of his grasp. She feels the sticky syrup dampening her clothing and, as she listens to Link's hysteric laughter, feels a rush of embarrassment coarse through her when she remembers her lack of clothing.

"Put me down!" She screams, kicking furiously, but with a smile on nevertheless. Even as she keeps attempting to pry his hands off of her with desperation, hating the sticky liquid, she cannot help but start cracking up herself. She isn't sure why she is laughing, perhaps just out of pure relief that her boss isn't going to kill her, or maybe just finally letting go of her uptight behavior. She's tired of keeping up her steely façade, it is time for her to finally let loose.

Aryll simply stands in the corner, astonished, and watches the alarming scene. Her thirty two year old brother is covered in maple syrup and is now mauling his high-strung secretary with a bear hug…and they are actually _laughing_ about it. _Yep_, she reasons. _They've cracked._

Although Link is strong, he cannot hold onto the thrashing Zelda forever and his laughter makes his grip weak. His hostage manages to squeeze out of his grasp and instantly starts sprinting out the bedroom door, giggling in her victory.

"Come back!" Link calls after her, a wide grin plastered on his face, as he chases her fleeting form. "Don't you want another hug?"

"Noooo!" She screams before being cut off by another bear hug from Link. She goes into a fit of giggles as she attempts to claw her way out of his arms while the man pretty much drags her into the kitchen.

Link keeps one arm locked around Zelda's waist as he rapidly flings open the fridge and pulls out a carton of whipped cream. The woman he holds hostage is too busy prying at his arm – which is holding her surprisingly well – that she doesn't notice Link spraying a stream of the fluffy white stuff on top of her gorgeous blonde head until she feels a few drops landing on her face.

"Link!" She screams instantly and his grin turns into a wider one at the sound of his first name finally escaping his secretary's lips. The word elates him and he stops spraying for a second, beaming at Zelda whose body has splotches of maple syrup on it and a whip cream cone shaped hat on her head. He never thought of how beautiful his name would sound coming from a soothing voice like hers, just hearing it once has made his day even better.

However, he shouldn't have stopped attacking her because she instantly snatches the can from him, spins out of his grasp, and squirts the whip cream in his face.

Link opens his mouth to eat some of the fluffy food for a few seconds before ending his playtime and spinning around to snatch a carton of chocolate sauce from the fridge. It takes less than a minute to get a full-blown food war raging in the kitchen. Whip cream shoots through the air like rivers of snow and chocolate drops down as delicious rain.

Aryll, still appalled by the sudden change in her friends – particularly Zelda - shuffles down the hall and to the open doorway of the kitchen. She listens to the screams and giggles of Zelda and Link's whoops and hooting laughter. Seeing both the thirty year olds spraying each other with chocolate sauce and whip cream makes her pinch herself. Nope, not a dream.

The two battle it out some more, running around the counter and occasionally cracking eggs open on each other's heads. Aryll notices how different Zelda is acting and she finds she likes it. Her ice blue eyes are lit up with pure joy and she constantly cries out Link's name in protest whenever he holds her in his death grip. Her hair is sticky with the syrup, egg, and chocolate but she doesn't seem to care; all she is worried about is covering her boss with as much food as possible.

But then the war comes to an abrupt halt once Link slips on a slick of chocolate sauce spewed across the floor and he crashes to the ground on his back. Aryll can't help but smile, like any sister would to see their brother being clumsy, while Zelda rushes to his side in a panic.

Kneeling beside him, she asks rapidly, "Link, are you okay?"

The man just starts chuckling to himself and stares up at Zelda with his charming smile. "I'm fine…though you seem to be a bit messy. Have you been playing with your food again, Zelda?" He teases and she smiles down at him, her sticky golden hair falling around her shoulders like a curtain of soft silk that was used as a placemat. Link reaches up and flicks a small mountain of whipped cream from her cheek, causing her to smile more and her ice eyes to appear joyful like the ocean on a summer's day.

"Something like that," she responds while straightening up and holding out a hand. Link sends her a grateful grin and lets her help him up. Once he is back on his own two feet, his eyes take a bit more of a serious tone to them as he begins to address another matter gravely.

"Zelda…about yesterday – "

His friend holds up a hand, halting his speech and sending him a comforting smile.

"While it was terribly wrong of you to do so, I cannot help but forgive you," she confesses with a smile. Link waits for her to say why she can't help it, but when he receives nothing he drops the topic. He is still in no position to pester his friend…not yet anyways.

"Thanks, Zel," He says gleefully, embracing her in another hug but this time not purposely trying to get her covered syrup. He pauses before whispering sweetly in her ear, "for everything."

His breath on her ear makes it tingle and her heart flutter a bit, basking in the warmth of his hug, before she separates from him. She pulls an egg yoke from his golden hair and advises with a pleasant smile, "You might want to wash up now or else flies are going to be attached to you like leaches soon."

Link nods and, with one last swooning smile, departs from the room. As he heads for the bathroom to clean off from the assault of food, Zelda begins washing her hair in the kitchen sink. She combs it with her fingers, taking out large chunks of chocolate, eggshells, and yoke, as Aryll quietly approaches her from behind.

Still amazed at what just happened here, the sister crosses her arms and leans on the counter beside Zelda. "I can't believe it," she breathes. "When my ex-boyfriend was mad at me I gave him a box of chocolates and he threw them at me, but when _you_ cover Link with maple syrup and he starts a food fight, you guys are suddenly best friends." Shaking her head, a small smile spreads across her lips. "I swear Link gets so lucky sometimes."

Zelda grins, her eyes dancing with light, and explains to her friend, "There is a time and a place for being professional. I guess I just decided that such behavior isn't needed at the moment."

"But will you still tell me random information?" Aryll asks, making Zelda smile warmly, glad to hear somebody doesn't get annoyed by her constantly throwing out useless facts. Still hunched over the kitchen sink, agile fingers pulling food away, she says slyly,

"Did you know that humans share 98.4 percent of their DNA with a chimp…and 70 percent with a slug?"

Silence.

"Now that's just gross," Aryll snickers and Zelda shrugs, finding it quite fascinating on the contrary. Although the younger woman is very aware of the possible danger her brother is in, with him not remembering anything of last night and all, she is grateful that her two friends managed to get along and have some fun together. She just hopes her brother doesn't mess it up again like he usually does. Typical Link.

_Author's Note_

_Yay! Link and Zelda are friends again, whoopee! I originally planned on having their fight go on for longer but, when I organized the chapters, I realized that I wouldn't have time to drag out their anger. This story will probably only be ten chapters, so I have a lot of stuff happening in a few days (a person can only be gone from a government agency for so long before things get suspicious c;). Though this does not mean that the pair have stopped arguing, there will be plenty more!_

_I focused more on Wolf Link this chapter, since he wasn't in the last one at all. While the last time he was a wolf he was fully aware of what was happening to him, this time he lost a great deal of his memory. He doesn't know Zelda or Aryll, just has a gut feeling not to hurt them. It's the gut feeling that doesn't send him on an animalistic rampage because he knows not to be terrified of his surroundings._

_I don't usually like animals talking to other animals, it sounds so childish, but they did that in Twilight Princess and I wanted to incorporate this motif here. I don't know if most of you know the owl, Kaepora Gaebora, from Ocarina of Time but he is this guy who you talk to every once in a while and he just goes on and on! He blabs about your mission and what not and it's just annoying. I have never read what he has actually said in the game, just that you press A really fast to get him to shut up. I tried showing his circle of never ending conversation in this chapter._

_Zelda's feeling on the revenge plan was a bit tricky and I hope I showed it well enough for it to be realistic. I can relate to her in this way where I often force myself to do things that I really hate doing, like killing a spider the size of my thumb or being in denial about the guy I like. So please let me know what you think of Zelda's emotions in that part and if you find them realistic. Thank you!_

_Last chapter I mentioned that I'd be taking a break for a one shot I wanted to work on but no such thing happened. I got held up in some important stuff and that is on hold once again. Sigh…that thing will never get done._

_Gosh, I am so sorry that I ramble so much! I'll shut up right after I thank you for reading and implore you to leave some reviews. They encourage me to write faster and better! Reviews = my life! (yes I don't have much of a life -_-). Thanks!_

_~~Wave~~ _

_Works Cited_

__

"Unusual Scientific Facts." _Rate It All_. Google, 14 Nov. 2006. Web. 20 June 2010.

"Wolf Country, the Pack, Body Postures and Social Structure." _Wolf Country, Information and Education Site about Wolves_. Web. 07 June 2010.


	6. Chapter 6

_Author's Note_

Previously on Rivers Need Springs:

As a wolf, Link does not remember anything of his life as a human, he just knows that he is trapped inside a house but something in his gut tells him not to hurt Aryll and Zelda. He meets an owl, Kaepora Gaebora, who tells him that the voices Link is hearing are Twilits praying to their savior and they need his help. But, when he transforms back to a human, Link forgets everything that happened to him while he was a wolf.

Before any of them can get into depth about Link's problem, Zelda tricks Link into getting a ton of maple syrup poured all over him. However, Link laughs it off and Zelda and him have a food fight. They are back on good terms after Link eavesdropped on Zelda's phone call.

And that's all you need to know for Rivers Need Springs:

I don't know about you, but I'm pretty proud of how fast I updated this one. Of course, it still isn't fast enough, sigh…

Thank you SO much for all the reviews last chapter, a total of ten, which is a great number. :D So thank you **AutumnEmber**,** MythCreatorWriter**,,** Canada Cowboy**,** La Generala**,** Kamil the Awesome**,** Chiharu-angel**,** Legend of Zelda 4 Life**,** Star Cyber 2**, and** Sheikah117**. I loved all the reviews, they were fantastic!

Okay, I'll shut up now because I know I talk too much. I hope you like this one!

~~Wave~~

Chapter Six – Fear From an Inappropriate Old Lady

* * *

MONDAY

* * *

After Link and Zelda both take showers and clean up the mess in the kitchen from the food fight, Aryll and them gather at the counter and start discussing more serious matters. The women explain to Link how aggressive he was last night as a wolf and how they believe that he didn't understand a word they were saying.

"What was the last thing you remember?" Aryll questions, her mind desperately trying to solve the puzzle as she leans against the counter. Zelda and her hang onto Link's every word, hoping they'll find some clue in what he says and solve the mystery like the detectives do on the television shows. The house is still freezing cold (except not to Link, he finds it quite warm) and Aryll wears a light blue sweater and white pants with her blonde hair pulled back in the usual pigtails.

"As I said before, I just remember sitting on the couch and being furious with myself after I was stupid to you, Zelda," Link explains looking at his new friend with regret and she sends him a comforting smile. He cannot get over the fact that she has finally warmed up to him, calling him by his first name and letting her beautiful gold hair fall around her shoulders freely. The morning sun shines through the window, making her light blue eyes sparkle and bathing her creamy white skin in a golden glow. A lavender dress covers her slender body and a black jacket fights off the cold. He can't help but admit that she looks beautiful in whatever she wears when she is as relaxed as she is now.

"But you remember waking up as a human this morning?" His sister clarifies and he nods in agreement, yanking his mind away from thoughts of his secretary.

Aryll sighs, not coming up with anything and stares out the window at the hot day outside of their cold house. Like Link, she longs to be basking in the warmth of the sun and away from their troubles. Maybe she would feel better after taking a short walk around the city? Though she knows that such acts would be dangerous. Not only would her brother be jealous that she can leave the house but, as Zelda mentioned earlier, it is only a matter of time before the company begins tracking them down. It is now ideal that she hides inside the house too.

From beside Link, sitting on a stool with her head propped on her hand, Zelda flicks her gaze between the troubled siblings. She lets out an exhausted sigh, forcing herself to forget the happy memories of her and Link's food fight (even though they happened only two hours ago) and focus on the grave task. "What's worse is that we couldn't even get a blood sample," she groans, staring helplessly at the wall. "I am sure it could have helped us figure out what is wrong with you."

Link holds back a moan of agitation, frustrated that he had to be an aggressive wolf and scare away the people he cares most about. Now they'll have to make due with his human blood and, while that is still vitally important, the wolf blood is just as necessary.

Standing up, Link decides that they might as well take a sample of his blood now. "Come on, let's head down to the lab."

The trio exits the kitchen, passing through the family room, when a shrill ring blasts through the house. Zelda instantly rushes to the telephone on the coffee table in front of the couch. She looks at the caller I.D. and it makes the blood rush out of her face and her breath hitch in her throat.

"Who is it?" Link asks with concern, noticing his friend's horrified expression.

Swallowing nervously, she gazes at him and his sister with dread. One moment everything is calm – frightening due to the problems the group is having but still calm nevertheless. Now it feels like somebody swapped the atmosphere with one from a murder investigation, the air is heavy and, despite the low temperature, sweat starts to form on their brows. In a voice full of dread, Zelda answers, "It's the company."

Link pales at the mention of his work and Aryll fidgets next to him, tugging at the sleeve of her sweater and shifting her weight from foot to foot.

"Answer it," Link orders meekly and Zelda follows the demand.

"Hello, this is Zelda Harkarian," she greets the person on the other line in her work voice, cold yet emotionless.

"Good morning, Miss. Harkarian," a deep voice rumbles pleasantly on the other line as Zelda motions towards the phone in the kitchen for her housemates to listen in on. Aryll rushes and grabs the item in seconds, turning it on, and Link and her press their heads together to listen. While all this is happening, the man on the line introduces himself with a sly smile. "This is Professor Dragmire, calling in question of your boss, Professor Oakwood."

The trio glances nervously at each other. They had expected the call to be about Link but they were prepared for head of security or something, not their boss Ganondorf.

After a short moment of silence, Zelda responds casually, "Yes, what about him?"

"Well, as you know," Ganondorf begins to explain, his smooth baritone voice sending chills down her spine. She cannot name anything wrong with it, it is simply one of those things that sends off bad vibes. Vibes that make your hands shake and leave you feeling like somebody is staring at you through the window. "You called in sick for him again today, making him miss work for the second day in a row. I normally would not be concerned with his absence since two days in not something to fret about, but his day off should have given him enough time to heal from whatever illness ails him. This being said, he has currently been 'sick' for three days."

Zelda notices how he says the last part with distaste like he doesn't believe in the story that they made up to cover for Link. All she can think is, _Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap, crap!_

"Also," Ganondorf continues, his voice lucid and slow as if choosing his words carefully. "We are very worried about the specimens of the Blue Eyed Beast. I am not sure if you are aware of this but they have officially been declared missing this morning."

"Missing?" Zelda immediately gasps, sounding so truly surprised and outraged that it makes Link and Aryll think that their companion should have gone into the acting career. She hesitates for a moment, pretending to contemplate something, before speaking with disbelief. "You think _I_ took them?"

Ganondorf clears his throat on the other line, an awkward silence forming between the two, until he breaks it with his gruff voice. "I understand why you would be startled, but you and Professor Oakwood were the people closest to the specimens so naturally we came to question you on this."

"I see…" Zelda trails off, reluctantly agreeing with his statement.

"Actually, I did not call you to question you on the missing specimens because, no matter what you would say, you would still be a suspect and the only way we can clear your name is to find the culprit or search your house."

Zelda opens her mouth to protest but Ganondorf doesn't give her enough time to speak. With his same charismatic yet chilling voice, he continues without pause, "What I called you for is to ask you where the whereabouts of your boss are. I am in desperate need of that DNA, which he claims needed adjusting, so I have already sent some workers over to his apartment to check up on him. Unfortunately, nobody answered the door and, when they questioned the landlord, he claimed not to have seen the professor in days. You have been calling in sick for him, Miss Harkarian, so can you explain to me how you know of his illness?"

Ganondorf's voice is fierce and demanding, similar to when a teacher asks a question to a kid sleeping in the back of the class. The teacher's voice is always smug, as if catching students off guard is what they live for. Now it seems that their boss truly loves trapping people with accusations that throw off anybody's calm composure.

However, he has underestimated how quick witted Zelda can be. Perhaps it is from reading all of her random facts or a natural ability, but she molds a lie in a second. It might not be a great one, but it is certainly decent and realistic enough.

"When the professor left last Friday he told me to call in everyday until he informed me otherwise," she begins to conjure a story, sounding relaxed and confident. "He gives me these instructions whenever he is ill because, according to him, the only time he gets sick is when he is extremely sick. This makes him unable to speak whenever an ailment has stricken him, so talking can be quite strenuous on his body."

"Uh-huh…" Ganondorf grumbles, pondering her explanation, and then summarizing, "So you call in sick for him everyday until he tells you not to?"

"That is correct, sir," she agrees, putting the phone away from her mouth for a moment to release a calming, shuddering breath. The Oakwoods and her exchange horrified glances, everybody terrified for their lives.

"Well, we will continue searching for the professor and the specimens. If you have anything you would like to report, just call. Good day."

"Yes, good -," Zelda starts to say farewell but doesn't even the chance. The line goes dead before she can finish the sentence.

The blonde woman places the phone back in the receiver with a shaky hand, gazing at the object with horror before averting her stare to her housemates. Aryll holds the phone in a death grip and Link gazes back at her with wild eyes, like he just got off of a rollercoaster and barely made it without wetting himself.

"I think we need to cure you as soon as possible," Zelda states and the Oakwoods completely agree.

* * *

The rest of the morning is spent with Link frantically studying all of his blood samples and Zelda trying to help in any way possible. Aryll goes online to look for stores that can possibly sell more slides for their microscope, a stethoscope, a mercurial tube graduation (apparatus that measures blood pressure), and other tools a diagnostician uses. If Link is going to remain with the Twilit blood roaming through his veins, he'll have to constantly check up on his health.

From the blood test that they have taken today, Link discovers that the Crepusculumcytes have reproduced tremendously; there are so many of them that the Erythrocytes are barely visible. The scientist is stunned by how quickly the cells multiplied and, if it weren't for their small size, he'd have gone insane.

They lose track of the time, the sun gone from their lives as they work diligently in the basement. The dim lighting makes their eyes black sockets and shadows wrap around their bodies like cloaks. To everybody - including Zelda – the basement is a prison, one that swallows them in their own worries and ignorance at what is happening to Link. Suddenly, the joy they felt during Link and Zelda's food fight all seems like a pointless dream.

Through all of the stress, Link does manage to get a lead on his "illness" though. He discovers why he is turning to a wolf at night. His reasoning is that Twilits are stronger in the hour of Twilight, so – in a nutshell - the Crepusculumcytes grow remarkably in size at night and shrink during the day. When these grow, the synthetic DNA also increases and overtakes his human nucleic acids, making him transform into a wolf.

But there are still questions that are clouding his mind. How and why are the Crepusculumcytes regenerating so fast? Cells do reproduce, but not in such a manner as these. If this keeps up much longer, Link can only imagine the sort of damage his body will take.

Another puzzle focuses on why he cannot remember being a wolf. He could easily recall everything that happened to him in his other form previous nights, but the one yesterday is a big, fat blank. He wants to examine his brain but, with his limited resources, he'll have to find an alternative route.

With the lack of the sun or a clock (because Aryll refuses to look at the one on her computer for some strange reason, saying not knowing helps them focus), their growingly stomachs is what makes them finally take a break and head upstairs into the blindingly bright rooms.

Aryll, with her natural cooking abilities, decides that they'll make lamb kabobs. She heads off to cook the seasoning as Zelda creates a side dish of rice and Link starts cutting up the raw meat. Each one of them is deeply involved on the task at hand, riding themselves of the stressing thoughts of Link's problem and the threat from the company. They breathe in the scent of spices and let the waves of the summer sun warm their skin. It is such a nice change compared to the prison-cell-basement they were cooped up in all morning.

Link, already bored of cutting, starts chopping the lamb into more exotic shaped pieces. He spends five minutes making one that looks like a star and another a smiley face, even though if he did it correctly he'd be done in seconds. He cannot stop tapping his foot and he keeps scratching his knuckles, something he does whenever he is anxious. He feels like there is something extremely important he should be doing right now, that he should give up cutting stupid shapes and do…something. But what? Why is he so agitated?

He tries distracting himself by making his cutouts more precise, excising bunnies and the Triforce symbol. After a few minutes, his sister's teasing voice yanks him away from his tedious task.

"What are you, Link, two years old?" Aryll jokes from behind him, looking over his shoulder at his work and laughing.

Link blushes a bit when Zelda glances over and starts giggling. "Excuse me for being bored," he retorts, dipping his head so his bangs cover his face as he cuts squares again.

"You are so weird," Aryll chuckles before going back to gathering the spices.

It doesn't take long for Link to get extremely bored and agitated again, and an idea sparks in his brain. He wonders if he can eat raw meat. For humans the idea is completely idiotic but, with his wolf DNA, maybe it is possible?

_Of course not_, Link grumbles to himself, poking at the meat with his knife. _I just want to know what it tastes like, that's all_.

Suddenly the meat looks delicious and he feels like he has never eaten before in his life. He glances at the women around him, who are busy preparing the meal, and then picks up one of the cut pieces of meat with two fingers. He holds it in front of his nose, sniffing it like a curious puppy, and hungrily eyeing it with the lust of an owl thirsting for the taste of mice. Except this isn't a mouse, this is a nice, fat, juicy lamb…

Link opens his mouth, ready to pop the meat into his mouth, when somebody interrupts his activities with a disbelieving tone. "Link, what are you doing?" Zelda asks slowly, disgust and worry evident in her voice. Link, taken by surprise, jumps out of his seat and throws the meat across the room with a loud yelp. Aryll barely manages to dodge the food by leaning away and letting it slam into the window with a _thud_.

Link pants heavily, glancing between his two companions nervously as they gaze back at him in bewilderment.

"S-sorry…" he mumbles, his face flushed and still breathing heavily. "I was just…um…hungry."

There is a moment of awkward silence and Link wishes more than anything to hide in a hole, possibly with a piece of lamb to eat, and away from their perplexed stares.

"I think you should go rest," Zelda advises with sincere concern and the man practically runs out of the room, getting out of the tense atmosphere the second he steps into the family room. He collapses on the couch, letting out a deep breath and throwing his head back. Relaxing for what feels like the first time in forever, he starts by taking calming breaths until his heart rate is down and his face isn't flushed.

Questions about his previous behavior jump around in his mind like annoying, hyperactive grasshoppers. He can't believe he was so bored with such a simple and mindless task. When cutting the meat, he longed to be somewhere else, _doing_ something else. For a second he thinks there is something vitally important he must do…but that thought is quickly replaced by the fear of him eating raw meat.

_I _really_ need to get better…and fast_.

After a while, he leans forward, propping his head on his hands and his elbows against his knees, as he stares out the window that opens to the main street. As usual, nothing exciting is happening except for the occasional car speeding by and somebody left their television on from across the street. Oh, and an old lady is walking across the lawn towards the front door. Nothing out of the ordinary –

Wait.

"Zelda!"

Link jumps off the couch and sprints to the kitchen. Zelda, hearing the terrified cry, dashes to the living room so that the two crash into each other. They bang heads and instantly take a step back, clutching their foreheads with their eyes squeezed shut to try to fight off the throbbing pain. At the same time, they both think of how idiotic they are looking and how embarrassing it is for each of them.

"S-sorry," Zelda mutters, rubbing her forehead and peeking up at her friend who is in the same state as her.

"S'okay," he grumbles, taking a deep breath and regaining his composure. Straightening up, he explains as calmly as he can while his head is pounding. "There is some old lady coming up the lawn to the front door and she has something in her hands and I think it could be dangerous," he explains, rushing a bit at the end and his eyes become wild again, remembering his reason for running before.

Zelda sighs and straightens up as well. After hearing his description, relief soars through her and she reassures him, "There is nothing to worry about, she is just my neighbor."

Link lets out a deep breath, easing up a bit, though protests in a hurried voice. "Yes, but aren't Aryll and I not supposed to be seen? In case some of Ganondorf's goons go looking for us and start interrogating the neighbors, and then the old lady will say, 'Oh, I saw some hot blonde guy in there' and then they will _know_ I'm here and - ,"

"No, Link," Aryll steps into the conversation, coming out from behind Zelda and sending her brother an amused smile. "She would say, 'I saw some weird creepy guy in there and he looked like he smelled bad."

"How would I _look_ smelly?" Link retorts, shifting his focus on to his sister's not-very-well-thought-out insult.

Aryll shrugs and replies, "I don't know, maybe you smell so bad that your stench travels all the way to her house."

"I do _not_ smell bad!" Link snaps and Zelda rolls her eyes. Siblings. They argue about the dumbest things.

Before a full-blown fight can erupt between brother and sister, the doorbell rings and the pair goes silent. Zelda instructs that they simply stay out of view as she greets their visitor. The Oakwoods agree but end up hiding in the family room, ready to eavesdrop on the conversation.

Zelda swings the door open, pretending she doesn't notice the spying duo, and instantly inhales that old person smell. The woman before her is short, probably half of her height, with her shoulders hunched over and her legs shaking to support her thin frame. Her snow-white hair is curled around her face and wrinkles dangle around her cheeks like necklaces. Her lips are covered in crimson lipstick and she has heavily applied blue eye shadow. Unlike most grandmas, who wear floral dresses and sweaters, she wears a ruby red dress with black feathers around the collar and black pumps that look a few sizes too small for her feet.

"Good morning, Zelda," she greets, her voice sweet as she holds out a plate of chocolate chip cookies for her neighbor. From experience, Zelda knows to accept the gift but never eat them. She's also not startled by the older woman's strange appearance, it is a known fact on this street that she used to be a showgirl.

Taking the cookies from the old lady, the younger woman smiles pleasantly and replies, "Thank you, Miss Randall, but what are the cookies for?"

"Well I noticed that you haven't left your house in a few days and figured that you were sick, considering you never miss work for anything else," the old woman, Margo Randall explains and Zelda is touched by her consideration.

"Thank you very much, Miss Randall -," she starts to say until she is cut off by her neighbor's thirst for gossip. While the old lady may not go out often, she loves discussing the latest events with random people at Bingo nights and will do anything to learn a new, juicy piece of information.

"But now I don't think you are sick anymore, honey," she whispers, leaning in closer and glancing left and right as if she expects ninjas to pop out and listen in on their _riveting_ conversation. A sly smile spreads across her face and she giggles to herself as she confesses, "I saw a _smoking hot_ blonde man through the window…he wasn't wearing a shirt. Oh girl, you are skipping work to spend some time with your boyfriend!"

"What!" Zelda practically screeches, taking a step back and staring at the old lady in astonishment.

From the other room, Link chuckles to himself and whispers, to Aryll, "Told you so."

The lady laughs and attempts to calm Zelda down. "Relax, honey, no need to be surprised by how observant I am. You can't hide something as sexy as him."

"Oh, but we aren't together," Zelda quickly explains, her face going beet red and her stomach twisting into knots. _Link is probably loving this_, she thinks glumly to herself, not wanting to deal with his gloating later.

"But why are you so embarrassed to have something as scrumptious as him as a boyfriend?" The old lady gasps, her beady eyes growing a bit wider but still not enough to see their actual eye color. "All the ladies will be jealous to see you with such a candy man. You'll be the envy of -,"

"No, no!" Zelda cries, her face burning as Link starts doing a small victory dance behind the wall, Aryll rolling her eyes at her brother's behavior and annoyed she lost a bet they just made. "He isn't my boyfriend and you cannot spread this around to people. As far as you know, nobody else is in this house with me."

The grandma raises an eyebrow at her companion, now very perplexed, and questions, "Why must I not tell anybody? Darling, you are confusing me so very much."  
"Because…because…you can't tell anybody…" Zelda trails off there, mumbling as she struggles to think of a decent excuse. She practically jumps a mile high when she feels a warm, strong arm wrap around her shoulders and a man poking into the conversation by saying,

"Because I am her boss and what we are doing is bad for our career."

Zelda snaps her head around to see Link, still not wearing a shirt, grinning like a goof and winking at the old lady. His arm draped around her shoulders makes her heart flutter but she can't tell if it's from the warmth he gives or the fact that now the old woman thinks that she's having an affair with her boss.

"Oh, ho, ho!" Margo hoots with laughter, clapping her hands together and a smile spreads across her face. "I get what's going on here! I understand, I won't tell a soul about your secret little love fest."  
"Thank you, Miss…" Link trails off there, waiting for her to insert her name, with his charming grin practically swooning her to death.

"You can just call me Margo," she giggles. Link opens his mouth to say more but she remembers something important and, leaning towards Zelda, says mischievously, "I have a ton of games my boyfriend and I used to play. There was this one where I would -,"

"That's great Miss. Randall but I really have to get going!" Zelda rushes to cut her off, feeling her face burn up again as she starts to back away slowly. Her hands are sweaty, holding the plate of cookies in a death grip, and Link barely manages to stay on his own two feet as he struggles to keep up with his retreating "lover". "Thanks for the cookies, bye!"  
And with that she practically slams the door in her neighbors face but, thankfully, Margo doesn't mind at all and merrily shuffles across the lawn and towards her home, humming old songs to herself from her showgirl days.

Zelda releases an exhausted sigh and slithers out of Link's side hug, leaning against the door and closing her eyes. For a moment he feels guilty about embarrassing her so much so that her face is alarmingly red and her hands shake, but then remembers that he made up the lie about being her lover because he knew it was the only way to make the elderly woman quiet. Somehow, he had a feeling that she'd understand.

_Instincts_, he thinks proudly to himself. _They have finally come through for me…hopefully._

"I just want you to know," Aryll announces, coming out from behind the family room wall and into the foyer. "That what just happened was probably the most awkward thing I ever listened in to."

While normally Link would love to crack a joke at this entire thing he cannot help but notice how flustered Zelda is. Her eyes are open now yet they are looking everywhere but at him. Holding back a sigh, he realizes how stressful things must be for her right now. She's secretly keeping her werewolf boss inside her house, has stolen specimens, now has _two_ people thinking that she is having an affair with her boss (Marth and Margo Randall), and is studying genetics as fast as she can to help find the cure to Link's ailment.

A strong sense of pride and gratitude warms up Link's heart as he gazes at the brave and determined woman before him. He owes a lot to her and suddenly has a craving to help her in anyway he can.

Placing a hand on her shoulder, Zelda instantly snaps her fretful light blue eyes to him and he sends her a comforting smile. "Are you okay, Zel?" He questions in a soft voice.

Her breath hitches in her throat and she clutches the plate of cookies, glancing between his hand on her shoulder and his concerned face. Swallowing, she nods and mumbles a small "yes."

Link isn't sure what to do. He is not easily fooled and knows that she is overwhelmed. He reasons that she needs to relax or at least become distracted so thoughts of his problem and the grandma incident are forgotten temporarily. But what would deem a good distraction and possibly a way for Link to thank her for everything she has done. What can he do…?

"Hey, Zelda?" Link begins to ask, grinning and acting like nothing embarrassing has just happened. "Can we open one of the boxes in the basement?"  
The two women send him confused glances, and Zelda responds cautiously, "Um, which one?"

"Here, I'll show you." Link places the plate of cookies on the floor and takes her hand, leading her to the basement with Aryll right behind them. Zelda reluctantly follows, curious yet not wanting to open some of the boxes for him to see. It isn't that there is anything bad in there, just stuff from her father's home that she inherited from him. Opening up the boxes would be like rupturing old wounds.

They begin walking down the stairs, Link going two at a time, which makes his companion have to run to keep up. The coolness of the basement rushes against their burning skin like freezing water in the middle of a desert, a nice relief, though the darkness makes it difficult for them to see. _Note to self_, Zelda thinks as they reach the bottom and head for a corner of the room where boxes are pilled high. _Add more lights down here._

Link releases her hand and squats down next to a long, rectangular box that is squished underneath smaller ones. He tugs, pulling it out a bit, before looking up at the owner and asks with his charming smile, "Can I open this?"

Uncertain, Zelda kneels next to him and reads the label she put on the item a long time ago. Biting her lip, she looks into Link's hopeful eyes and asks, "What do you want to do with it?"

"Use it of course," Link replies and Zelda holds back a sigh. _I guess it couldn't hurt…_

Zelda nods reluctantly and he immediately rips open the end of the box like it is Christmas day. An excited gleam sparks in his eyes as he focuses on carefully pulling the object out of the package. Unsure of what is going on, Aryll peers over her brother's shoulder to see him struggling to assemble an electric piano. It's one of those kinds where you can place the main part (with the keys and switches) on a stand, plug it into the wall, and, _presto_, you have a working piano.

Aryll cannot help but smile to herself. Her brother can never keep away from any form of music.

The two women sit back as Link prepares the instrument, untangling the cord and setting it up properly. Once that is complete, he searches the box some more and, as he does so, Zelda can't help but mention that termites eat wood twice as fast when listening to heavy metal music. Link stops searching through the box and both he and his sister send Zelda confused glances, the room in an awkward silence for a moment, before they both start burst out laughing at her comment.

"I certainly hope you don't have any termites, Zelda, if Link is going to be playing some heavy metal music," Aryll muses with a small smile but Link reassures them both as he stands up, clutching a pile of sheet music in his hand that he has just found.

"Thankfully for you, I'm not really into that. I actually just found some awesome music lying around, do you play piano, Zelda?"

The woman shakes her head and explains in a suddenly sorrowful voice, "My father did. All of this stuff is his."

A wave of guilt hits Link – as it seems to be doing often lately – and he regrets not noticing her hesitance at letting him open the stuff. But he pushes those thoughts aside because he knows that she'll love this.

He clears his throat and then places a stool in front of the now fully assembled piano. He flips through the sheet music for a second, scanning the songs for one he deems worthy, and places one on the music holder built into the instrument. His eyes fly across the piece, noticing the key signature, accidentals, and other components of music. After a moment or two, Link faces Zelda and sends her a warm smile.

"I want to play something for you in form of my appreciation for everything that you have done for me…and to get you to relax a little after a stressful day," he adds, joy sparkling in his eyes as Zelda sits beside him on a stool, sending him a puzzled gaze.

He quickly scans the music again for a brief moment before sitting up straight on the stool and gently placing his hands on top of the keys. He takes a deep breath and then begins to play.

Zelda recognizes the song immediately. "The Riddle" by Five For Fighting. Her father used to play it for her when she was little and, hearing it now coming out of the same instrument he used, sends a wave of shock and bottled emotions soaring through her. She has tried not to think much about her father for fear of going into hysteric sobs that she used to have when he first passed on, but listening to the song actually makes her heart feel light and a smile to tug at her lips. She remembers sitting on his lap as he'd try to sing the lyrics and play at the same time, but his voice was rough and he could never hit the high notes. She didn't mind, just loved to listening to her father's soothing words.

After a few measures of the beautiful piano rhythms, Link quickly clears his throat and begins to sing a soft melody with such a clear voice that it shocks Zelda. She had no idea her boss could have such an angelic tone, it is mesmerizing to her.

"_There was a man back in '95_," he starts, words lucid and flowing off of his tongue like a warm breeze on an autumn day. "_Whose heart ran out of summers but before he died, I asked him 'Wait, what's the sense in life? Come over me…come over me…_"

While he sounds so confident and elegant, Link's eyes are constantly shifting between the lines for the vocals and right and left hands for the piano. His fingers move like dancers, jumping over one another and sliding across the smooth white and black keys.

Zelda closes her eyes, swaying with the melody, as Aryll smiles behind her. She hasn't heard her brother play in a very long time.

"_He said, 'Son why you got to sing that tune? Catch a Dylan song or some eclipse of the moon. Let an angel swing and make you swoon. Then you will see…you will see…"_

Link takes a deep breath, preparing for the chorus. Zelda sighs happily as she imagines her father beside her, smiling down and healthy. While she feels a bit bad admitting it, Link plays the tune better than he did. She had forgotten Link used to be a music major.

"_Then he said, 'Here's a riddle for you. Find the answer…there's a reason for the world, you and I…"_

He begins playing the keys with more power, the notes sounding stronger and louder as if they gained confidence after perfecting the chorus. Aryll pulls up a stool and sits beside Link, glad to hear that he has finally found a chance to do what he loves most.

Link finally glances towards Zelda, grinning at her, but only to see her eyes closed as if in a deep sleep and a pleasant smile on her face.

He focuses back on the music, preparing for the next verse.

"_Picked up my kid from school today. Did you learn anything cause in the world today, you can't live in a castle far away. Now talk to me…come talk to me._

_"He said, 'Dad I'm big but we're smaller than small. In the scheme of things well we're nothing at all. Still every mother's child sings a lonely song, so play with me, come play with me'."_

Link then repeats the chorus, already memorizing the beginning part of it and he closes his eyes, feeling the music's soul coarse through his veins and lifting up his saddened spirit.

Zelda opens her eyes and stares in wonder at her boss; gazing at his flying fingers and watching his eyes travel across the page, analyzing everything in an instant.

"_And hey dad, here's a riddle for you. Find the answer…there's a reason for the world, you and I…_

_"I said, 'Son for all I've told you, when you get right down to the reason for the world, who am I?'"_

Zelda follows the music, noticing how accurately he sight reads the rhythms and reaches the note in his voice.

Link's now fully into the music. He remembers this song and doesn't need to look at the lyrics anymore. He continues reading the notes for piano but closes his eyes every once in a while to let the song take over him, let it destroy the anguish and dread he feels.

"_There are secrets that we still have left to find. There have been mysteries from the beginning of time. There are answers we're not wise enough to see. He said, 'You're looking for a clue…I love you…free…_"

His hands continue jumping from key to key but he turns his full attention to Zelda, staring at her with a smile on his face and warmth in his eyes. It makes her blush and her breath come short. He doesn't even look back at the music as he sings at a slower tempo,

"_The batter swings and the summer flies as I look into my angel's eyes. A song plays on while the moon is high over me, something comes over me…_

_"I guess we're big and I guess we're small, if you think about it, man, you know we got it all. Cause we're all we got on this bouncing ball. And I love you free. I love you freely."_

Zelda's eyes grow wide at the last line. She isn't fretting over the words, she knows Link doesn't love her, it's just how gorgeous he said it and how much it reminds her of her father. He would stop there, giving her a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. He would never sing the final repeat of the chorus.

But Link does, he finishes the song in his flowing voice that could lull her to sleep if she wasn't so entranced by him.

"_Here's a riddle for you, find the answer. There's a reason for the world…you and I…"_

The notes on the piano slow down after that, the song coming to a close and then silence all around them. Aryll is the first to react, clapping enthusiastically and beaming at her brother.

"That was fantastic, Link!" She squeals, giving him a quick hug and he blushes under such praise. "I forgot how wonderful you play."

Link just smiles up at her, secretly waiting and wanting Zelda to say something but she just stares at the piece of music with a dazed expression on her face. For a second her eyes become a bit watery but she is quick to blink away tears and sends Link one of the sweetest and warmest smiles he has ever seen. He can't help but grin back at her as she speaks with an immense amount of sincerity.

"Thank you very much, Link, that was beautiful."

And then, in one swift movement, Zelda flings her arms around him and embraces him a warm hug. She stuffs her face on his shoulder, forgetting that he is still shirtless for a moment, and letting a few tears leak out from her eyes. At this point she wants her father, more than she ever did. However, she is not angry at Link for reminding her of him because the memories that she has are beautiful ones that she has forgotten for a while and he brought them back to her. Her greatest fear is forgetting how her father was, she already has trouble remembering the sound of his voice or whether or not he liked or disliked red wine, and she wants to recall every little thing. This is the greatest gift she has gotten in a long while.

Link snakes his arms around her, a small smile playing on his face, as he whispers to her, "Not a problem, I'm glad that you liked it."

After a moment or two of Zelda simply letting out some of her joyful yet sorrowful tears, she takes a deep breath before separating from him. Her cheeks are wet and tear stained but even now she still looks gorgeous in his eyes. Rubbing her watery eyes, she sends him a kind smile and mumbles as a blush creeps onto her face, "S-sorry, I guess I just get a little emotional sometimes…my dad used to play that song for me."

Link grins at her and gently wipes away a tear from her face, making her blush even more, and it doesn't help when she realizes he is still shirtless. _Goddesses_, she thinks, _does the man ever wear a shirt?_

"Not a problem, Zelda, anything for you."

From behind them, Aryll grins to herself. And Link said that he doesn't get along with his secretary? What lies.

_Author's Note_

Yeah, so now Link is a super star singer who doesn't wear shirts. How typical. That being said, I just want EVERYBODY to know that I do NOT own the song "The Riddle". That is by Five for Fighting and I have no claim over it once so over. Not mine at all!

Now I chose that song for a certain reason (besides me just being in love with it). The song is about morality, which is an underlining theme, but it is a song from a father to his son (or in this case, a father to his daughter). I think that it works well with the story because the song talks a lot about the unknown and uncertainty that our characters are feeling right now. I also believe its saying how we may not know what the reason is that we are here in this world for, but as long as we have each other we will be fine. Does that make sense to people or am I just being weird?

I understand that the science behind this can be very confusing so I enhanced "The Science Behind Rivers Need Springs" on my profile page. It's organized so that it explains the science in each chapter rather than all at once. This way, you won't get any spoilers. I hope this helps or that my explanation in the story is simple enough. :)

Next chapter is going to be more intense and moving the plot along, I think I might even be splitting it in two just because it is so intense. I am actually pretty close to finishing the story, considering there are four to five chapters left (okay, so maybe not that close), so about half way. It just feels like the end is near of it is near for me, how sad. :(

I am going to be gone this Saturday and Sunday, so if you leave a review during those days please don't be upset when I don't respond till later. I will be going on vacation on the 16th and I think I will be getting back the following Wednesday but I am not entirely sure. I figured I should let everybody know about that.

Okay, I will stop rambling. Thank you once again for all of the reviews last time and please feel free to do it again! :D I think it was because of the reviews that I managed to write faster this time, maybe they will help again?

Thanks for reading!

~~Wave~~

Works Cited

"Possible Side Effects of Blood Transfusion - Caring4Cancer." _Caring4Cancer - Comprehensive Information and Resources_. Web. 30 June 2010.

"Random Funny Facts | Funny But True Facts." _Funny Junk_. Web. 28 June 2010.


	7. Chapter 7

_Author's Note_

Previously On Rivers Need Springs:

Ganondorf called the house, asking Zelda if she knew where Link or the specimens were. Even though she lied and said no, Ganondorf still left a hint that he might check things out for himself.

Margo Randall, Zelda's neighbor who is pretty old, came over because she thought Zelda was sick because the secretary hadn't left her house in a few days. However, on her way over she saw Link through the window and, after a quick conversation, Link made up a lie that he and Zelda were having some inappropriate relations because he is her boss. They think this story will keep Margo quiet if anybody questions her.

Link, feeling bad for embarrassing Zelda, decided to sing her a song called "The Riddle" by Five for Fighting on her piano. It brought back happy memories of her father and then they hugged.

And that's all you need to know for Rivers Need Springs.

If anybody is interested, a friend of my asked me a few months back to make a tutorial type thing on how to plan chaptered stories. So, after a while of laziness, I got around to it and you can find it here (delete spaces): http :/ wavemoon. deviantart. com/#/ d2uyexr

Not much to say here actually, which is kind of surprising. I'll just start by saying thank you for all the wonderful reviews last time and all the chapters before that. They are one of the best things in the world, so thank you very much **AutumnEmber**, **Beforethedawnbreaks**, **Kattheamazing**, **Sheikah117**, **Canada** **Cowboy**, **MythCreatorWriter**, **La** **Generala**, , **Legend** **of** **Zelda** **4** **Life**, and **Vash'sGirl**!

Chapter Seven – Zelda Needs Bigger Windows

* * *

MONDAY

* * *

"We could hide them in the boxes," Link suggests and Aryll instantly shakes her head, her pigtails swinging with her movements.

"That is _the _most obvious place to hide them," his sister argues, placing her hands on her hips and Link snarls at her.

"Hardly, the most obvious place would be under the bed or in the freezer," he reasons while crossing his arms over his chest (which is actually covered by a black t-shirt, a very rare sight indeed).

"If the specimens are _supposed_ to be in the freezer then hiding them in there doesn't actually count as _hiding_."

From behind the pair, Zelda rolls her eyes at their bickering. After Link's song, the oldest adults wanted to start working again, confidence soaring through them after the uplifting tune, but Aryll insisted on something else. She reminded them of Ganondorf's formidable call about how workers might come over searching for either Link or the specimens at anytime. No matter what, they need to be prepared to hide the specimens, lab materials, and the Oakwoods themselves. They are all gathered in the basement around the worktable, trying to figure out where would be the best place to store everything.

"Well we could actually put the microscope and text books in one of the boxes," Zelda reasons, stepping into the conversation while picking up a relatively large cardboard box.

Link nods, trying not to stare at Zelda's light blue eyes that look like a glimmering sea right now. Whenever she starts talking he either has trouble concentrating because he's studying every golden strand on her head, or he is the most focused he's ever been, hanging on her every word like they will cure all diseases.

"Well…" Aryll mumbles, tapping her chin and staring at the ceiling in thought. "Maybe we could hide the specimens in your dresser, Zelda?"

Link immediately laughs and shakes his head. "Now _that_ is an obvious place to hide them. Besides, even if it wasn't men would still look there," he adds in with his goofy grin and Zelda can't help but smile to herself and roll her eyes playfully.

"Why?" Aryll questions innocently.

Link and Zelda exchange startled yet amused glances. The woman starts giggling to herself as the man tries to explain to his little sister without embarrassing her too much.

"There are…_items_ in a dresser and men are pigs, so add those two together and -,"

"Oh!" Aryll exclaims, cutting her brother off, as a victorious grin spreads across her face for understanding it.

"Good, now that we have that covered, where are we going to hide the specimens?" Zelda brings them back to more important issues and they all fall to silence as they ponder this.

"Under the floorboards?" Link ventures but Aryll shakes her head.

"_Everybody_ hides stuff there. No."

"In the T.V.?"

At this the women hesitate, thinking this over and trying to figure out how they could do that but, in the end, Zelda disagrees.

"That won't work because if people come to investigate my house we'll probably have to hide everything fast and destroying my television would be a bit time consuming."

Frowning, Link sighs heavily, "I really want to go outside."

"I'm sorry, Link," Zelda apologizes sincerely, resting a gentle hand on his shoulder and sending him a sympathetic look. His heart skips a beat but he blames it on his "illness". He's been doing that a lot lately. Anything weird that happens to him – blushing, cramps, being nervous around Zelda, random chills, shallow breathing – is assumed to be from the Crepusculumcytes. A small smile graces her face as she tries to cheer him up, "You can have some more of my plants around you if you want."

"That's it!" Aryll suddenly screams, making the other adults jump back in surprise and stare at the girl whose grin is wide and eyes alit with joy. "We hide the specimens in the plant's soil, it's perfect!"

For a second they don't say anything, the college girl simply staring at them with pure elation in her excited expression as she waits for them to be as enthusiastic as she is. After a moment or two, Zelda smiles as well and agrees, "That just might be our best bet. Link, do you need the specimens right now?"

He bites his lip and says reluctantly, "I suppose not…I might later though."

"That's fine, we should try to keep them hidden whenever we aren't using them. Come on, let's go store these things away."

The trio heads upstairs, each one struggling to carry a very valuable object without dropping it. The plant picked is one of Link's favorites; it's a huge ficus robusta, about six and a half feet (two yards) tall. It's a simple mass of leaves that stretches up like a tower but, best of all, the pot it is in is spacious and has enough room for all their stolen items. While it's not the most beautiful, Link enjoys its simplicity and the smell is just like real trees, fresh and woodsy.

After the making of a short game plan, each of them grabs hold of the plant at its base. They all have to pull together when trying to up root the plant; it weighs a lot more than expected.

"Goddesses, Zelda," Aryll grumbles through gritted teeth as her and Link keep the plant lifted in the air as the secretary rapidly yet carefully stores the specimens inside the soil. "Why do you have the biggest plant in the world in your house?"

"Actually, the trees outside are much bigger than this" Zelda corrects, storing the last of it and motioning for them to put the plant back in. As they do so with great caution, she goes on to explain, "But the largest flower in the world is the Rafflesia Arnold. It can grow to be three feet wide and weighs fifteen pounds. Though I wouldn't want it here because in bloom it releases a disgusting odor, similar to rotting meat, that attracts bugs."

Once the plant is eased back into the pot, they all start dumping the removed soil on and making it look smooth, like nobody ever touched it.  
A few minutes later, most of the dirt is gone except for a small pile. Link goes in to sweep it up when a loud knock sounds from the front door and everybody freezes. They exchange frightened glances but the man of the group is the first one to become calm again.

"It's probably just Margo giving us more cookies," he reassures them and returns to sweeping up the dirt. Zelda, however, is not convinced.

"It's seven o'clock, old people are asleep by now."

"Margo isn't like most old people."

"Either way Link and I need to hide, " Aryll cuts into the conversation, her voice quiet yet fierce. "I have a hunch that we _cannot_ be seen by whoever is at the door, and an Oakwood's instincts are never wrong."

She says the last part proudly but Link frowns at this. They were wrong when they told him to eavesdrop on Zelda and Marth's conversation, but maybe his sister's instincts are better than his, considering the fact that she isn't a werewolf at the moment.

Zelda gives them a curt nod and instructs, "Go into the bathroom. If you recognize Margo's voice then don't do anything. If it isn't her then _immediately_ crawl out of the window and hide in the bushes -,"

"That window is tiny!" Link argues in a whisper but Zelda silences him with her strict stare.

"Don't worry, you'll fit. It's risky but we are running short on time."

Just then another knock comes from the door, this one so powerful they believe the wood is going to shatter under the impact.

Link swallows nervously and chills run up and down his spine. He feels the hairs on the back of his neck standing up straight and dread grips at his heart like a giant fist. He's never experienced this feeling before, this sense of foreboding that makes him want to run forever and ever, getting farther away with every step.

Aryll begins heading towards the bathroom, grabbing Link's hand and tugging at it, but he continues to stand where he is and stare at Zelda desperately.

"Go, Link," Zelda orders after noticing his hesitation.

He suddenly spreads his arms wide and takes a step toward her. She opens her mouth to speak but the words fail to form when he embraces her in a hug that lasts less than a second. His warmth seeps through her body, giving her strength and a sense of elation like seeing a butterfly float past, before he's gone again and rushing away with Aryll. He leaves a whisper in his wake, like a cool breeze dragging his comforting warmth away from her and leaving her with goose bumps. As her face heats up, she hears, "Act like you're on Broadway."

She's numb for a moment, not sure what to think and just listens to the blood rushing through her head, but then her thoughts are yanked back to the present when she sees his form disappear behind the bathroom's closing door.

As if somebody flicked a switch inside her brain with the sound of the door's soft _thud_, an urgent feeling floods back into her body and her mind starts working up a plan. She rushes into her bedroom, snatches a brush, and then dashes into the kitchen and quickly wets her hair in the sink. The visitor starts knocking on the door but she stops him halfway, opening it up and forcing a pleasant smile.

"Sorry about keeping you waiting," she apologizes as she brushes her now wet hair, hoping that they catch the hint that she just got out of the shower. It's always good to have a reason for arriving late to the door.

"That's perfectly all right, ma'am," the man before her says in a monotone voice. His face is square and tanned, his eyes hidden by dark sunglasses. His hair is sandy blonde but it's difficult to tell with buzz cuts. There are actually two men, each dressed up like they are from the Secret Service (Zelda wouldn't be surprised if they really were members of that organization). They are large, broad shoulder men with dark sunglasses covering their eyes and their faces emotionless as stone. They wear the classic black suits and ties, shiny loafers, and white shirts. The other one has a lean face and darker skin, his hair buzzed but an obvious dark brown.

Zelda quickly brushes her hair a bit more, rushing to get it straight after being tangled from the "shower", before sticking it in her back pocket. "How may I help you?" She asks, speaking a little bit louder in hopes that her companions will hear her voice and conclude that Margo is not here.

From inside the bathroom, Link's and Aryll's ears are pressed against the door, so desperate to hear that their cheekbones ache from the hard wood.

"Is it Margo?" Aryll inquires and Link grumbles against the door,

"I'm not sure, I can barely hear."

Back at the house's entrance, the other man with dark brown hair responds to Zelda's question in a monotone voice so familiar to her own work voice. "We are here from H.N.G.L.S. on order of Ganondorf Dragmire," at the sound of the company's name (H.N.G.L.S. stands for Hyrule's National Government Laboratory of Science) and her boss's name, the blonde woman flinches inwardly but shows no sign of her discomfort to the men. "As you are aware, the specimens for the research project BE-S04 have gone missing and your boss, Professor Link Oakwood, has not shown up for work for an unusual amount of time. We are here to question you on both issues."

Zelda's acting skills come back in an instant. She frowns slightly, as if bothered by even the thought of her being the culprit, and responds in a reluctant tone, "Very well." She sighs, opening the door wider. "Search all you want, I've got nothing to hide."

The man with dark brown hair replies as they march inside, "We have a search warrant but we will first ask you a few questions if you don't mind."

"Of course, would you like something to drink?" Zelda offers more kindly, putting on an innocent expression with wide yet chilling ice eyes and a tiny smile.

From inside the bathroom, Link whispers to Aryll. "We have to get out, _now_. I hear a man's voice. Come on, follow me."

Brother and sister quietly yet hurriedly make there way to a small, rectangular shaped window at the other side of the room. Link pushes it open and tries his best to drop the frame gently on the ground, but it falls with a small _clang_. Both of them wince at the noise, praying to the goddesses that nobody heard it, though they continue their task nevertheless.

"That won't be necessary," the blonde hair man decline's Zelda's polite effort in a very firm tone, staring at her from behind his black sunglasses. She hates it when people wear those things; it's like staring into dark, shadowy pools of despair and horror. "Just answer a few questions for us, please."

"Yes, yes, go right ahead," she agrees, making her tone sound a bit aggravated but still polite.

Back in the bathroom, Aryll stands on top of the toilet and reaches for the window.

"Do you think I'll fit?" She questions, her fingers curling around the edge as Link holds his cupped hands out in front of him.

"You're a lot smaller than me, of course you will," he reassures her, managing to keep the panic out of his tone. He knows that his sister will make it – him maybe not – but he can't keep Zelda out of his mind. What if it is Ganondorf at the entrance? Surely he would have recognized his voice but he can never be sure. Then another thought strikes him, an even worse possibility than that. What if it's Marth trying to reconcile with Zelda?

The thought makes him grit his teeth and he says to Aryll a bit harsher than intended, "I'll hoist you up then work your way out quickly, okay?"

Aryll nods, not noticing his hint of bitterness, and places her foot in her brother's awaiting hands, her grip tightening on the window frame and she swallows nervously.

"When was the last time you saw the specimens?" The sandy colored haired man asks, his voice demanding and Zelda can feel his stare burning into her skin, making it prickle uncomfortably and she longs to itch it. However, she resists because scratching her arm is something she does when she is nervous and she cannot show any nervous habits right now.

She once read an article on how to detect a liar. These men are probably excellent lie detectors, so she'll have to be extra careful with them. She quickly runs a list of lying signs: lack of eye contract or _too_ much eye contact, looking up and then to the right, lack of gestures or over exaggerated gesture, too much detail, fidgeting, distinctive pauses, stuttering, and many more. She'll have to do exactly as Link said, act like she is on Broadway.

"It was Friday…" she starts to explain, looking dazed for a moment as if trying to remember it, before focusing back on him. It's difficult for her to stay on track though because his partner is shuffling around the room, looking at everything around him. He practically glides, a silent shadow studying each object like it's a jewel in a museum. "It was around eight p.m. I suppose. I always give Professor Oakwood his dinner then – he gets so into his work that he forgets he has to eat. The specimens are usually on the center table so I assume that's where they were but I didn't pay much attention."

Zelda lies flawlessly, not once looking away or hesitating in her story. However, her heart starts pounding as the other man seems to float past her like a ghost into the family room. She wants to delay him from approaching the bathroom but isn't sure what to do. _Please_, she begs. _Let Link and Aryll have gotten out by now._

Aryll actually has already gotten out of the bathroom, but it was not the most graceful fall. She launched herself through the windows and flipped in the air, landing on her back on top of a relatively large bush. Twigs jabbed her skin and leaves got tangled in her hair but, for the most part, she is unharmed.

Link is now attempting to escape through the window that is barely as wide as his shoulders. He sticks his head and arms through, still standing on the toilet, and Aryll grabs his hands in a death grip.

The brown haired man quickly scans the family room, noting a strand of black fur on the floor and a laptop resting on the coffee table. His keen eye passes over some of the plants in the room before he bends down and plucks the strand of fur off the ground with tweezers, carefully putting it into a Ziploc bag.

"When the professor left, what did you do?" The other man questions in such a demanding voice it takes all her might not to flinch. Zelda feels like he's throwing basketballs at her and she has to dodge as many as she can without getting hit.

"I packed up my things and went home," she responds with a small smile. "I can't make a lot of plans when it's eight o'clock anyways."

"Pull harder, Aryll," Link hisses at his sister as she tugs at his arms so much that he thinks they might be pulled out of his sockets. He knows that if they can just get his shoulders out the rest of his body will slide through easily.

"I'm trying!" She snaps back, her eyes squeezed together as she yanks at his body, her teeth clenched together with the effort.

Something odd happens to Link then. At first it is gradual and he thinks it's just in his head, that he's listening to his own pounding heart, but the sound is extremely familiar. It's the steady _bum, bum_ that he listens to when he's a wolf. At first it's soft but then it grows louder and louder, as if it is right next to him.

It takes him only a second to realize that he's hearing Aryll's heart beating, and then all the other sounds flood into his ear like water bursting out of a dam. He hears three other faint heartbeats from behind him, footsteps walking slowly towards them, and a man's voice explaining something to Zelda. But he's more concerned with the person closet to them, the one with heavy yet hesitant footfalls. It will only be a matter of time before he enters the bathroom.

"Yesterday, Professor Marth Emblem informed us that he had called you Sunday afternoon at six thirty p.m.," the interrogator explains to Zelda, keeping their eyes locked so she can't casually look at the other man getting closer and closer to the bathroom. "According to him, you two talked briefly when somebody shouted out your boss's name and interrupted you. From this, we have reason to believe Professor Link Oakwood was or still is residing at your home."

The man pauses there, waiting for Zelda to reply, but she is focusing her hearing on the other man. She listens to his footsteps, notices how they begin fading away.

"I assure you he was never here," she manages to respond with enough confidence to be convincing. Even though, a lump has formed in her throat and it takes all her might to keep a straight face.

"Push off the toilet, Link," Aryll instructs through her gritted teeth and he does as she says, but to no avail.

"He's coming closer," her brother whispers frantically, wiggling against the window frame and causing pieces of wood to chip off and stab into his skin. He bites his lip, trying to hold back groans of pain.

"Do you deny that Professor Emblem called you Sunday at six thirty p.m.?" The interrogator questions and Zelda nods her head.

"Yes, he did call me -,"

"Then who shouted your boss's name?" He hurls another question in an instant.

Zelda smiles a little bit at this. She finally gets to use the story she's been saving in her back pocket…

Meanwhile, the other man sees two doorways he can go through. One is wide open and obviously goes to the kitchen while the other is closed. He follows his gut and goes with the closed door.

Link doesn't even whisper a warning to Aryll as he hears the man's footsteps coming closer and quicker to them. He vaguely hears Zelda's response to yet another question; it is background noise to his pounding heart.

The bathroom door opens.

"My friend-," Zelda begins to say but instantly gets cut off by the other man calling out to her from across the room.

"Miss. Harkarian," he addresses her, a frown on his lips and his voice tense but monotone nevertheless.

Her heart stops.

Zelda turns around and stares at him, noticing that the bathroom door is open now but she can't see anything past him. Her eyes are wide and her breathing becomes shallow, but other than that she manages to keep a straight face.

When no more words are shared, the man continues, "You said you recently took a shower?"

There is a moment of silence as the words flow through Zelda's numb brain. It takes all her strength not to release a sigh of relief as she responds, "Yes, I did."

"That is quite odd…" he goes on, his voice scrutinizing and dread begins to creep back in Zelda, it's a rollercoaster of ups and downs for her in a matter of a few minutes. "Because I went into the bathroom approximately twenty seven seconds ago and found no signs that the shower was used in the past, let's say, half an hour. The shower, towels, and floor are completely dry."

During his speech, Zelda managed to get a hold of herself and is now sending him an amused smile. As she starts to explain herself, she begins walking forward until she can clearly see inside the bathroom. Much to her relief nobody is in there. The window is wide open, it seems he either hasn't noticed it yet or simply found it irrelevant to his search.

"Both of you have very short hair so it must not take you very long for it to dry," she begins, chuckling to herself before continuing smoothly. "I took a shower at about…hm…an hour or so ago. As you can see, my hair is very long and it takes me forever to get it dry, that's why my hair is still wet while everything else is not."

The men nod along with this and, from outside the house, Link and Aryll are panting from the panic they were just in. They barely managed to yank the oldest Oakwood out of the window seconds before the man came in.

A bit reluctantly, the workers go along with the story and ask Zelda some more questions. She lies that her friend Malon Ranch had come over the other day with her dog, hence the fur that they found. When they asked for more on her friend, Zelda elaborated her lie to cover up the fact that Malon doesn't own any dogs in case they looked into the case further. She's a bit relieved for a moment because it's no lie that Malon does take some animals home from the ranch to give them extra training time. Even though, she is incredibly nervous during the questioning but keeps up the act perfectly.

When she is questioned about Link and his whereabouts, she tells them what she told Ganondorf and plays dumb. As far as she can tell, they bought it.

Now Zelda stands awkwardly in the hallway, her hands folded neatly in front of her as she watches the two men search her house even more. Everything is going smoothly until, at one point, the blonde hair man stops by the plant her, Link, and Aryll hid the specimens in: the Ficus Robusta.

The man bends down next to it, collecting something in his finger and holding it up closer to his eye. Zelda's mouth goes so dry that she hopes she doesn't have to speak soon, because, if addressed, she fears she won't be able to talk.

He opens his mouth to speak and Zelda's heart pounds in her ears. Just as a word is forming on his tongue, the shrill ring of a cell phone breaks the tense silence and halts his sentence.

"Excuse me a moment," he grumbles, aggravated to pause his search to answer the call. While both men are distracted, Zelda lets out a tiny sigh of relief and starts preparing herself to form another lie for whatever he has discovered.

"Hello," the blonde man answers curtly, his partner taking a respite from his work and gazing at the other man expectedly

From outside, Link presses his ear against the wall. Ever since they escaped he's been explaining everything he has been hearing. Aryll's concerned with his sudden super hearing abilities, but at the moment she's more worried about the people investigating Zelda's home.

"He's answering a phone…" Link explains in a whisper, his face twisted in concentration. "I recognize the voice…is it really? Yes, yes, it's him."

"Who?" Aryll asks desperately, like a child trying to figure out the end of a story being read to her.

Inside the house, Zelda listens intently onto the man's responses but can't hear who the caller is. The man doesn't say a thing, he simply seems to listen to a long explanation being given to him, nodding along now and then. At the end of it, he says in his monotone voice, "Affirmative" before snapping the phone shut. Turning to his partner, he uses a code Zelda never heard before (and she knows a lot of police codes).

"We've got a 409."

As if they are robots and the number is a signal, the two march out of the house with a muttered goodbye, leaving Zelda standing in her hallway dumbfounded.

She stares at the door that they left out of, her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open. All she can think is _what the heck just happened_?

Link's voice sounding from behind her is what brings her back to reality. "I heard everything!" He exclaims, him and Aryll rushing out of the kitchen as she turns around.

"How'd you get back in?" She questions, her eyes glazed over with shock and relief making her voice tiny.

"Through the kitchen window," Link explains rapidly, excitement or nervousness making him speak so fast, Zelda can't tell. "But something weird happened and suddenly I had the hearing of a wolf, so I listened to the entire phone call!"

"It was amazing, Zelda!" Aryll can't help but add in, her azure eyes gleaming from the intensity.

Zelda snaps out of her startled trance and a look of determination returns to her face. She hesitates for a second, contemplating on whether or not she should be concerned with Link's sudden ability or the phone call. "What did the caller say?" She questions, having made up her mind and he describes it without hesitation.

"The caller just said that test subject B30 got over dosed and that he needs help sedating it. He said that the location was changed to 53 Jay Avenue. It was a 409 code name, but I have a feeling we can't find out what that means online."

"Do you know who the caller was?"

At this Link hesitates, his face paling and he and Aryll exchange glances full of dread. The man swallows, looks back at Zelda with frightened cobalt eyes, and says the name softly like if he speaks it louder it will poison him.

"Ganondorf. Ganondorf Dragmire called the government agent."

It doesn't take long for the trio to conclude that Ganondorf is up to no good. He either has control over government agents or those had been fake workers, the latter is the more reasonable choice. From what Link heard on the phone, they assume that their boss must have been referring to a lab experiment. The only issue, however, is that Ganondorf's job doesn't involve him doing research, simply firing people, attending meetings, and giving lectures around the world to fellow scientists. If this is the case, then either he was calling on behave of somebody else's experiment or he was conducting his own private one.

Zelda never heard of test subject B30, and if _she_ doesn't know then it can't be anything involving their work. After a search on Map Quest, they find that Jay Avenue is on the other side of town, about thirty minutes away from here. There isn't enough evidence for them to make a thorough conclusion, though they do have a vague idea of what Ganondorf may be doing.

Before anything else can be discussed about Link's sudden super hearing, the sun dips down into the horizon and he transforms into a wolf. He is similar to last night, not recognizing the other women and hiding in the corner next to a fig tree. Zelda and Aryll try befriending him again by giving him a steak, but he glares at them with his piercing cobalt eyes.

His disconnected attitude affects Aryll the most, leaving her breathless and tears building up in her eyes. She rests on the couch, taking deep breaths to calm herself. Her brother's intimidating and terrifying stare makes her numb to the bone, her hands shaking and sweat forming on her brow from fear. She had acted similar to this last night; then Zelda hadn't felt the same way as her companion, but now she knows how awful it is. Staring at this creature makes her stomach drop and the blood rush into her head. He doesn't seem capable of one ounce of pity, love, humor, or kindness. It leaves her missing the former Link terribly. She wants him to sing her a soft lullaby, something to lull her to a pleasant sleep. She wants his goofy smile and warm, comforting hugs. The way he always knows how to cheer her up, even in the worst of times. She misses how his dark blues eyes sparkle underneath the basement's lone light bulb, and how putting on a shirt is practically forbidden. This is how it must be for people who know a loved one with Alzheimer's, or somebody with multiple personality disorder. Nobody should have to feel the pain of not being recognized by somebody you care about, or not recognizing them in turn. This creature before her, this _beast_, is not the Link she knows.

The women spend the rest of the night in the kitchen, studying genetics out of the books Zelda had bought a while ago. Zelda calls Malon, telling her friend to agree if somebody asks her if she brought a black dog to her house. Like anybody, Malon is terribly confused and begs to know why but Zelda promises to explain everything when it's all cleared up, whenever that may be.

Link is curled around the plant in the living room, his eyes fixed on the blonde women in the kitchen. He listens to their steady heartbeats and soft breathing as they stare at stacks of bound paper. A strong smell of spices gently waft into his nose, the air conditioner pushing the scents toward him, and he feels much more comfortable in his now thin fur coat.

Link's memory remains very vague. He cannot remember anything that happened to him during the day. He's so confused but finds relief that he hasn't forgotten anything that Kaepora had told him. Thoughts about the Twilits keep him distracted from his overwhelming nervousness at his memory loss. He hears their voices whispering to him, repeating the cries for help over and over again. Some of the people speak in hushed voices, as if talking is too much for them, while others wail and implore for him to save them. It makes his hair stand on end and his gut twist with nausea. Thankfully, he knows he only has an hour left until he meets the owl again to discuss the plan and, if all goes well, even leave tonight. Now he just hopes that the women will leave soon.

Midnight comes but Zelda and Aryll are still reading diligently, each hunched over a book with their hair tasseled from agitatedly running their hands through it. Past them, Link sees the owl gliding around outside the window. He concludes that Kaepora doesn't want to land yet since he'll make a ruckus and catch the humans' attention. They lock eyes for a second and Link knows that the bird wants him to do something but he doesn't know what.

About half an hour goes by, the owl occasionally swooping silently by to see if anything has changed before disappearing again into the night, when the youngest blonde woman flops against the table and lets out a moan.

"I've read the same line five times," she grumbles, her voice muffled by the book.

"Come on, let's go to sleep," Zelda decides, rubbing her eyes and yawning. Without even putting the items away, they get up and head towards their separate bedrooms. Both of them hesitate by the family room door, looking longingly at Link for two seconds and then fading away into the hallway's shadows.

As soon as both of their doors close, Link is up in an instant and dashes to the kitchen's window. He stops underneath it and pricks his ears up, listening for the sound of the owl's wings flapping closer and closer. Moments later, the bird sails by and his yellow eyes gleam happily to see the humans gone. He swoops around in a circle, his beautiful, long wings letting him swim through the air elegantly, before coming in to land on the windowsill in what any human would call a crash landing. He flaps his wings furiously and digs his talons into the wood…only to be lurched forward and hitting his hooked beak against the glass. He shuts his eyes in pain and shakes his head, as if flinging away a pesky bug. Link just watches the bird as it collects its composure again, fluffing its feathers and twisting his head back and forth.

"Greetings, Human Wolf," Kaepora finally addresses him in his barking language after a good few minutes of shifting around on the windowsill. "I've been watching you all day, you act very strange as a human, do you know that? You and the female human poured liquid on each other and you had shed some of your fur…what I think you humans call a 'shirt.' You were gone for part of the day…you went underground…I always wanted to do that! I hear it is much cooler there but oh how hard it must be to fly! I once traveled into a bat cave and, ho, ho, ho! Now that was dangerous! Those fleshy things were screeching at me like crazy. They thought I was there to eat them but no owl of my etiquette would each such meatless creatures! No, I am too esteemed for them..."

Link holds back a sigh, shifting his weight from paw to paw as he waits for the animal to get back on track to more important matters. It's interesting to know what he's been doing as a human but he's more concerned about the Twilits. At this very moment he thinks he can hear them whispering to him, begging him to save them.

"Oh, but listen to me ramble!" the owl starts to chuckle, flapping his wings and digging his talons deeper into the wood. "On more important matters, have you thought about what I have said?"

Link instantly nods, his ears standing up straight and his focus is yanked back to the bird.

"Good, good," the owl coos. "Unfortunately I haven't found a way to make you escape quite yet...but I will! You will escape your prison and the rest is up to you. You will save them, human wolf! Oh, yes you will!"

Kaepora starts speaking in his own language now, a jumble of hoots as he flaps his wings excitedly. Link, however, is stunned to hear what he has just been told. The rest is up to him? Is the owl implying that he doesn't know where they are himself? How is Link supposed to know! How can he save people whose whereabouts are unknown to him?

Link opens his mouth to voice his concerns but only finds himself barking, his noise making no sense. This just causes the owl to hoot more, something similar to laughing, and Link hears one of the women in the other room stirring at him speaking.

"You look so worried? Why is that?" Kaepora questions once he has calmed down from laughing at his companion, tilting his head to the side and staring at Link with his wide yellow eyes. "Don't be scarred, you can save them! You have the sacred beast's blood in you after all! I wonder how that is…can you feel the blood in you? Is it warm -,"

The owl is cut off by one of Link's irritated barks. He has had enough of Kaepora's talking and wants his questions answered. The only problem is that he doesn't know how to voice his concerns.

After a moment of alarm from the owl, Kaepora gazing at him in shock, does the creature snap out of his surprise and screeches with alarming force, "Silent, human wolf! You have awoken one of the females with your baby talk!"

Link flinches underneath the owl's ferocious barking voice but his worry is taken away from the sound of a door opening. Both animals spin their heads around to stare at the kitchen's doorway, waiting the arrival of a woman.

"Oh, here comes your mate…" the owl grumbles to itself, making Link flip his head back around to send Kaepora a questioning gaze.

The owl notices and ruffles his feathers, similar to a shrugging motion. "What? Don't play dumb, I see the way you and her act together as humans. I think I even heard you sing to her. She is your mate, no?"

Link is dumbfounded by this, wracking his brain desperately to see if he can dig this piece of information up. Is she his mate? How can that be when –?

"Out!" A female's voice yells from behind him and he turns to see the oldest blonde woman shouting at Kaepora. From across the room, she waves her arms frantically and keeps yelling, "Out! Shoo! Get out of here!"

"Listen, meet me here tomorrow as soon as you become a wolf. I have an escape plan that I'm still checking over. Don't fail to show up, you must save the Twilits!" Kaepora hoots frantically, rapidly explaining everything before flapping his mighty wings and flying away into the night. The blonde woman continues her arm motions until she is positive that the bird is gone.

Zelda looks at Link, who is staring out the window with a gaze of bewilderment yet with fierce determination. She doesn't get to look at him long, because he snaps his piercing eyes to her, making her shiver and having her leave the kitchen immediately. She feels a bit better knowing who ruined her windowsill though.

Link can't help but wonder if she really is his mate. Should he be kinder to her? Probably. But what if the owl is wrong? He apparently sang to her yet Kaepora could have been mistaken.

He can't ponder these questions though; a woman's voice keeps ringing in his head. "_Fa ma ta le_," she breathes, so quietly that he can barely hear her plea. The sound makes his heart ache and his knees go weak. No matter what he must do, he will save those Twilits. No matter what.

_Author's Note_

Oh my God, that was probably the worst thing I have ever written. O.O I honestly hate my writing in this chapter, it makes me want to cry and bang my head on the wall (which, during one of my many searches to find Zelda random information, I discovered that banging your head burns 150 calories per hour. There are other – better – ways to lose weight though ladies.). I wrote this while on vacation and then started to do my three step editing process at home. During the second part, I had a serious case of writer's block, or what I rather called writer's slump. It was either I post the chapter like this and, when I'm feeling better, fix it, or wait for about another month trying to get back from my slump and write it better. I chose the first one, so yell at me all you want, I deserve it.

You know how last chapter I said that this would be a really intense one? Well, I lied by accident. It could have been more intense if I was being a good writer, but I know for a fact that the next one will. I'm already itching to write it.

I'm going away on vacation again on August 7th to the 15th. I am not going to write during that time, I need the break, or have Internet.

Also, anybody who has me on his or her author alert will notice that I have another "story" going on in a different fandom. Do not worry because that is my second priority, this is my first. I started writing that when I thought that maybe shifting my focus from RNS to something else would help my writer's block. It didn't really though.

Alright, I'll stop talking and scold myself for writing so badly. While this may not have been my favorite chapter, I do hope you review. Criticism will be welcomed here; nothing will ever stop me from wanting it. Along with encouraging words to keep my passion for this story up. :)

Sorry to disappoint you and myself,

~~Wave~~

Works Cited

"Police Codes and Abbreviations." _Austin Peay : Tennessee's Fastest Growing University_. Web. 22 July 2010.

Ron. "15 Signs You're Lying To Me." _The Wisdom Journal_. Web. 26 July 2010.

"Specimen and Large Houseplants." _House Plants. Home of Indoor and Office Plants_

_Delivered across the UK_. Web. 09 July 2010.

"What Is the Largest Flower in the World? (Everyday Mysteries: Fun Science Facts from the Library of Congress)." _Library of Congress Home_. 19 June 2009. Web. 09 July 2010.


	8. Chapter 8

_Author's Note_

_Previously on Rivers Need Springs_

Government workers come to Zelda's house to ask questions about Link's absence and the missing specimens. Although she makes up decent lies, there is reason to worry because they found black fur and something among the plants where Link, Aryll, and Zelda had hidden the specimens (what the workers found, however, is unknown). Before any more questioning could be done, Ganondorf called them and they had to go away due to a test subject being over doused.

As a wolf, Link meets with Kaepora again and the owl tells him that the escape will be delayed to tomorrow because he hasn't found a way out of the house yet for Link.

_And that's all you need to know for Rivers Need Springs._

I loved every single review I got last time, I cannot thank you all enough! Even though I wasn't proud of myself with the last chapter, I still had many people give encouraging reviews that lifted my spirits. I also had some critique which, as always, I am extremely grateful for. I love those reviews to death, I just wish I could have updated faster for you all. Ugh, curse my slowness! But, in the meantime, thank you all very much: **Kattheamazing, Callora, MythCreatorWriter, Rockenrolla, Canada Cowboy, Legend of Zelda 4 Life, Danielle, la generala, mature-yet-innocent, **and** Sparty the Bold. **If you left an anonymous review, I am sorry that I couldn't respond to you. I just can't do that without knowing your username.

Sorry for rambling and thank you all once again! (And of course I am so sorry about the late update. I think that goes without saying.)

~~Wave~~

Chapter Eight – Zelda's Lacking Nerdy Comments

* * *

TUESDAY

* * *

Aryll wakes up late in comparison to the previous mornings, tired from last night that had left her feeling useless and empty. It's all she can think about as she gets dressed in jeans and an orange long sleeved shirt. She's only twenty-one, not old enough to deal with these stressful events. Her whole life Link has been the one who takes care of them, he was the one who stayed strong after their parents' death. To this day Aryll is amazed by her brother's self sacrifice. He can recall every detail of their parents' personality and appearance and all she can do is conjure images of them from his words and old photographs, but she was the one who cried more. She never had to take the lead of their small family, even after her grandmother died (who she actually remembers), Link did everything. He arranged the funeral, got her into a foster home, and switched to a new major in college while she wallowed for her grandmother's passing.

The regret is so much stronger now because, whenever they work in the basement's make shift laboratory, Aryll feels like the most pathetic person in the world. Of course Link knows the most about what he is doing, but even Zelda is more helpful than she. Zelda has an encyclopedia as her brain, each word sticking into her mind like her thoughts are made of glue, while Aryll struggles just to understand Mendel's Law of Independent Assortment.

She manages to keep the guilt down but last night it struck home. Zelda was the one lying flawlessly to the fake government workers while Link eavesdropped on their conversations. What did she do? Nothing. All she did was jump out of the window first when she really should have made Link go before her. At the time she hadn't thought about it, but looking back she curses Link's selflessness. He isn't stupid, she knows that he knew the danger of him being caught. If she was the one found then it would be easier for them to make up a lie about why she was there, but nothing could cover up Link's presence. He should have been the one to go first, not her.

So after almost having a panic attack at the loss of her brother's humanity and all the guilt that has been bottled up inside of her for a lifetime, she made a vow yesterday that she'd try everything in her power to contribute to the group. Even if it is something small and possibly not very significant, it can still be of help. After all, rivers need springs.

Now, as the young woman walks out of her bedroom and down the hall, she mentally slaps herself for waking up at nine in the morning when she should have been awake four hours ago. She passes the bathroom and hears the shower's gentle pitter-pattering hum, though she can't guess who is bathing right now.

She rubs her eyes to clear the sleep out as she strolls into the family room. Yawning, she notices that the house is at a normal temperature, not the usual freezing that it has been recently.

Confused now, Aryll moves from behind the leather couch and to the front. What she sees makes her stomach drop and nausea swim through her body like a ship sailing over choppy waves. Her knees go so weak that she thinks she might fall over any second.

Link lies on the couch, spread out with one leg and arm dangling off the side like he's dying of heat, yet his teeth are chattering and goose bumps cover his limbs. His head is rolled back on the couch's armrest and his eyes are squeezed tight, as if he's forcing himself to asleep. A blanket is draped across his thin body, covering his torso and under-the-belt area. A large glass of ice-cold water and a plate of bacon rest untouched on the coffee table beside him. His skin is a sickly white color, the kind of frailness and sourness on old people in their dying moments. She would know, after all, what death looks like.

With shaking fingers, she gently touches his cheek for a brief moment. His skin is clammy and she can feel his harsh, uneven breathing. His fingers twitch and his neck veins rise up and down, making her wonder if he was always this skinny. Thinking back on it, Aryll can't remember the last time her brother ate. Was it just because he was so swamped up in his work or was he hiding his lack of appetite?

"Why, Link?" She asks in a cross of a whisper and a snarl, whipping a bead of sweat dripping from his hairline. "Why can't you just let your pain show so we can help you?"

Through all this time Aryll hadn't noticed the shower turning off or Zelda's door opening and closing. She's so entranced by Link's lifeless and pale face that she doesn't sense the other woman walking closer to her until Zelda mumbles sadly,

"I found him like this in the morning. He didn't even wake when the sun came up and he turned human again. His pulse is at 112 beats per minute - 62 beats over his resting heart rate - and he has a fever of 101 degrees Fahrenheit (38.3 degrees Celsius)."

Aryll doesn't say anything, just stares at her companion in awe. She isn't amazed by how the woman remembered all the statistics (it doesn't surprise her anymore), but by how her face is as white as Link's with worry and her eyes seem empty. There is no witty gleam or joyful light in her ice blue eyes; her black pupils seem to be a void of despair and guilt. Her blonde hair is still wet and tangled from showering, and sweatpants and a black t-shirt cover her slim body. It is a startling change for Aryll to see, and she isn't even dressed differently to prove a point to Link. Is it really this bad?

Looking back down at her brother, she gets her response. His trembling hands, the sweat dripping down his neck, and his teeth chattering are all the answers she needs.

* * *

Link wakes around noon, the sky outside still dark and murky like polluted water. He snaps his eyes open, feeling totally fine for less than a second before he groans in agony and clenches his stomach. There's terrible torment squeezing his gut, as if somebody took it and tied it in a bow. He feels burning hot for one moment but then freezing cold until it's a mix of both. His chest radiates unbearable heat but his limbs are numb. He can feel sweat sliding down his chest, neck, and forehead and his heartbeat throbbing everywhere: throat, temples, chest, palms, and even his toes.

"Link?" Zelda's voice whispers from next to him and he turns his head slowly over to see her kneeling beside him. He doesn't say hello to her like he wants to, he's too startled by her appearance. It isn't like before when she dressed in an inappropriate manner in her own form of rebellion, but in a much more casual way. Her blonde hair is wet and slightly tangled. No makeup decorates her face (which he actually likes) and she wears baggy light gray sweatpants with a black shirt. Maybe she woke up today and said, "screw looks"?

"How are you feeling?" Zelda asks in a whisper, her voice calming Link's aching head as if she's rubbing it and her hand heals all injuries.

Even though the sound of her is pleasing, he grits his teeth as a wave of pain erupts from his chest, and he grumbles sarcastically, "I think I'm cured."

He takes a few moments for himself, breathing deeply and closing his eyes as he tries to fight of the ache. He's not sure when it happened, but during those minutes Zelda had taken his hand and, now that he's feeling a bit better, entwines his numb fingers into her warm ones.

She tries to hide her small amount of alarm when she feels his fingers slipping into hers. Concerned, she had snatched his hand because it was the only thing she could think of doing. However, now that he's grinning his goofy grin, she's happy that she did it.

"Link," Aryll manages to say softly, even though excitement is bubbling inside of her that her brother is awake from his death like state. Despite this, she's still fretting over him just as much as Zelda. "How are you?"

Link feels the hand in his trying to pull away on instinct when Aryll makes herself present, but the man keeps his gentle grip on her and Zelda can't help but let a small smile show. They both watch as Aryll kneels beside the woman and Link replies with sudden determination, "It doesn't matter. I'll get up in a second."

Instantly the two women burst into a soft assault of protests, stating how he's as pale and crippled looking as iceberg lettuce, but he cuts them off in a surprisingly strong voice.

"Look, I'm obviously not at the top of my game, but we can't just sit around here as the Crepusculumcytes continue to live in my body," he states, slipping his hand out of Zelda's and using it to slowly push himself off the couch. "I can figure it out if you just-"

"No, Link," Aryll snaps, cutting him off and staring at him with a numbing gaze. She softens up a bit when she has her companions' full attention and realizes Link stopped moving. "How about you tell us what to do and we send the information back to you?"

Her brother shakes his head and, planting his feet on the ground, opens his mouth to speak but Zelda stops him.

"Before we make a decision," she cuts in rapidly, placing a hand on his shoulder to hold him still. Reaching behind her, she pulls out a pair of nice khaki pants and a white shirt. "Put some pants on please."

Link manages to grin sheepishly at her but it doesn't help how terrifyingly ill he looks. The wide smile catches the light and shows how blue his lips are in comparison to his pasty skin.

Once the women are gone and the kitchen door closes, Link forces all of his weight on his feet and stands up, holding the blanket around him in hopes to help his freezing limbs. Instantly his world starts to spin and he blindly searches for support with his free hand but finds none. All he hears is his heart pounding in his head as he somehow manages to collect his bearings again.

He stands there feeling numb as his burning chest rises up and down with his heavy panting. There is a small, stinging pain coming from his heart, causing him to wince, but it disappears after a few seconds.

Part of him tells him to sit back down on the couch and rest, let himself be pampered by Zelda and Aryll in an attempt to heal himself but he knows that won't be any good. He'll only get worse with these Crepusculumcytes still inside of him.

With great difficulty, he dons his pants while his legs shake uncontrollably and clumsily slips on a white shirt. He doesn't head into the kitchen until he's positive that his legs have stopped shaking.

Aryll is at the counter, pouring steaming tea into three clay cups. Zelda hovers beside her, looking at Link the second he walks in with her hollow eyes.

Link's grateful for the tea - their grandmother used to make it for them whenever they were sick – and he feels a bit better after drinking half of it. Without a word he starts heading down the hallway, keeping his head held high to act like he's totally fine. He does it perfectly, even when there is another surge of burning hot pain shooting from his heart like a laser carving his name against his ribs.

He expects Zelda and Aryll to stop him, but is surprised when he gets to the basement door without either one of them saying a word. Hand resting on the doorknob, he looks back at them who wait anxiously a few feet away him.

They make eye contact and that's all they really need to do. A message passes between them, the women saying how they aren't stupid and know that the best thing for Link is to get rid of the Twilit blood cells. As to how they still aren't sure, all they know is that their time limit has shrunk down drastically from the original, whatever that was.

Feeling a bit more confident with their support, Link starts making his way down the stairs into the basement. The coolness relieves his burning chest but his fingers and toes hurt from being so cold. He wishes he got gloves or socks, but the fact that he's winded just going down stairs makes him conclude that he won't be moving again for a while.

Silent, the trio gathers around the center table. Aryll sits on one side and Link and Zelda on the other. The specimens and lab instruments are back, along with notepads and textbooks, and the piano is pushed up against a wall. Link notices that Zelda hasn't put it away yet and, more importantly, he can't find the box it was stored in anywhere. He bites his lip in thought, thinking that there must be some deeper meaning to this but pushes the idea away. He has more demanding things to worry about right now.

Looking at his notes, he remembers the discoveries he accomplished last session in the lab. He learned why he transforms into a wolf: basically because at night the Crepusculumcytes grow and overtake his DNA. He tells himself to focus later on the memory loss, his increase hearing from yesterday, and the ill state he is in right now. With a deep breath, he mumbles to himself. "One step at a time."

First Zelda takes a sample of his blood and the women watch anxiously as he observes the fluid under the microscope. He feels that what he finds should make his blood run cold or give him a heart attack, yet he's surprisingly calm about it. Not happy - definitely distraught - but not enough to die.

Well, by fear that is.

He frowns and, without a word, starts writing in his messy style on a pad of paper. The women wait in a tense silence, wondering if he's going to explain what has changed or not. After a few minutes, Zelda scotches a bit closer and, in a whisper, asks, "May I?"

He nods and she pulls the instrument closer to her. When she peers into the microscope and focuses on the image, she's amazed at how calm Link reacted to it. It's like somebody being told by a pimply zombie that they have severe brain cancer and the patient responds, "Okay…so is the cafeteria on this floor or the one below it?"

Anybody who knows what regular human blood looks like magnified would wonder if this really belonged to a human. Dark purple triangles – Crepusculumcytes – completely fill the screen, overlapping each other until it's a mere mold of plum color. The only sign of Erythrocytes are these pathetically tiny dots that are randomly scattered over the cluster of purple triangles. There aren't even that many, Zelda could probably count them if she felt like it.

The woman brings her head up and stares at Link with horrified ice blue eyes burning into the side of his head as he pretends not to notice. Curious and confused, Aryll slides the microscope to her and looks into it.

The sister, like Zelda, realizes the danger that her brother is in and, in a demanding tone, asks, "Link? What the heck is going on here?"

"Nothing," he mumbles, reaching for the microscope and bringing it back over to him. Zelda, not pleased with his answer, grabs his wrist and stops his movement of retrieving the instrument. Link gulps nervously as he gazes into her determined stare.

"There's something you aren't telling us," she says in a quiet yet fierce tone. Link shifts uncomfortably in his chair and does something that rings in Zelda's head like a siren. He looks down then to the right.

A sign of lying.

"It isn't a big deal, just that the Crepusculumcytes have reproduced a lot and they are attacking my blood cells. I'll be fine -,"

"No," Zelda cuts him off. "You are a terrible liar. There is something you are holding back."

Link continues to stare to the right, keeping his mouth shut.

The woman tries a different approach now. She inches closer to him and leans forward a bit more, trying to make eye contact with him. Link reluctantly looks into her imploring and worried eyes, the amount of concern in them making guilt fall onto his already aching heart.

"Please, Link," she begs. "Tell us what's going on…all of it."

Link glances uncertainly between her and his sister. Though he had been trying not to worry them, he feels it's already too late and might as well give up on the endeavor.

And who can say no to a face like that?

With sudden interest in his feet and Zelda's hand still resting on his, Link takes a deep breath and admits in a shaky voice, "You think that the Crepusculumcytes are reproducing rapidly…well, they are, just not as fast as you think. It only seems that way because my body isn't making new blood cells as fast as it should be…"

Silence falls between them and Zelda's eyes grow wide as her mouth falls open. Aryll's a bit confused for a moment, trying to recall something she read in one of the textbooks, when she remembers what it said.

"Some cells are made in the bone marrow…in adults they are made in the marrow of the vertebrae, ribs, pelvis, skull, sternum, and parts of the humorous and femur." She recites the list like she's answering a test question, but then her face pales and her hands start shaking by her side. Bewildered and wrought with fear, she stutters, "Link…w-what? Do you have…uh, cancer or something?"

At this Link brings his head up and raises an eyebrow at his sister. While now would be the perfect opportunity to tease her, he and nobody else is in the mood. "No, Aryll. I'm not entirely sure, but I do have a theory as to what may be happening to me."

"How long have you known about this?" Zelda cuts in, standing up and taking her hand off of Link's. Her mouth is in a thin line and her forehead creased, but the anger doesn't reach her eyes or her tone. The blue is dull, like the ocean on a cloudy day, and her voice is filled with worry.

"Since yesterday morning…" he responds cautiously.

"Why didn't you say anything? Do you realize how dangerous a bone marrow problem can be?" She questions, trying to sound angry but failing miserably.

"Of course I do," Link answers calmly under her glare, not offended by her mock anger. "I can't even be positive it is a bone marrow problem without doing the proper tests, but we don't have the materials."

"You have to go to a hospital," she says in a softer tone but keeps her head held high as both Oakwoods look at her like she just said, "I'm secretly your dead mother and I'm here to steal your carrots."

There is a very brief silence before Link replies in wonder, "Zelda…are you feeling alright?"

The woman before him loses the strong demeanor and falls back onto her stool, a wilting flower surrendering and crumbling to the ground. She sighs and stares straight ahead, keeping a blank face despite the emotions that shake around inside of her. She needs to be tough for them, to keep them focused, but should they even be focused on trying to cure Link right now? Things have gotten too out of hand.

She doesn't forget the fear of Ganondorf, though she starts to doubt herself. Maybe he isn't evil? Maybe their instincts are wrong? Besides, by the time Ganondorf hears about Link going to the hospital, Link will already be safe in a bed with doctors doing everything they can to help him.

"The stakes are too high, you need to go to a hospital," Zelda argues in a monotone voice, sending the man her demanding stare but he shakes his head.

"No, if I do then we'll have to tell them everything. You could get thrown in jail for stealing the specimens –"

"I don't care!" She snaps, the first sign of true, fierce determination and irritation. Zelda doesn't mind going to jail now forever if it means that Link's life will be saved. Sure, the hospital won't know what to do with him either, but they'll be able to keep him stabilized and provide the necessary tools for him to research properly. "Your life is on the line here, I'm not letting you waste it."

All of this arguing makes Link's vision blurry and his fingers shake uncontrollably. He hides it well, however, by sitting on his hands and shivering, pretending like he's just trying to warm them.

"Look, I appreciate your help," He begins to say but, during their discussion, had forgotten Aryll watching them from across the table. She's not stupid, she sees the bead of sweat dripping from his forehead and his fingers shaking just before he hid them.

"Enough!" The youngest woman jumps in, standing up to make her presence known. While shorter than Zelda, the power she suddenly emits radiates across the room and silences them both. She's tired of sitting in the background; it's time for her to act.

"I may know nothing about blood and bone marrow, but I'm going to use that to make a fair compromise," her dark cobalt eyes pass between the two, as if daring them to talk but they know they'd be fools to do so. Focusing her eyes on Link, she decides, "You will work as long as you can but you need to save your energy, so speak as little as possible and do nothing strenuous. If you show more severe symptoms then you must allow us to rush you to a hospital. Worry about the lawyers and junk later, okay?"

Knowing her best, Link has never really seen his sister take charge before. While he's used to being the one leading things, it's pleasant to be relieved of the burden for a bit, especially when the outcome results in his favor.

Frowning, Zelda nods reluctantly and asks Link, "What can we do to help?"

He sends both of them a small weak, grateful smile before answering politely, "There actually is something. Crepusculumcytes usually affect Erythrocytes and, due to our short amount of time, I wasn't focusing much on the Leukocytes (white blood cells). If we assume that my bone marrow is infected, then the white count should decrease. Do you think you can look back on old blood samples of mine and follow the Leukocytes progress?"

Zelda agrees and heads toward a box tucked in the corner where she kept the small tubes of Link's old tests. Aryll, however, is a bit confused.

"From what the book said, if you have a bone marrow problem that makes it so you have difficulty making new cells, it isn't really noticeable in the count. I mean, having just one bone infected won't alter much…so what's the real problem?"

Aryll trails off there, looking curiously at her brother who is shuffling around uncomfortably in his chair. He stares at his finger, which is moving back and forth against his knee, as he responds sheepishly, "Yes, an infection to the bone marrow cannot be confirmed without certain tests, so we can't completely be positive about it. We're going off a hunch here, for all I know the problem could be some place completely different…like my brain or arteries."

"You aren't answering my question," his sister notes suspiciously and he sighs in defeat.

"Let's pretend like we know that my cells aren't reproducing as they should and there is a huge drop in the amount of Erythrocytes, Leukocytes, and platelets," he starts to explain, looking up at this sister with grave eyes and he speaks in an informative yet respectful tone. "And let's pretend that we know this decrease is because of bone marrow problems. While one bone marrow not working is certainly troubling, it won't cause extreme obvious changes. Now let's say that lots more different bone marrows have been infected, causing them to cease cell reproduction. With that many dysfunctional marrows, the effect is certainly a bad one. Understand?"

From across the room, collecting the box in her arms, Zelda notices how Link doesn't fully say the truth. His explanation is correct, but he ends it with "the effect is certainly a bad one" instead of saying "people who have that many infections are as good as dead." As to why Link is still living (if it's assumed that this is his problem), Zelda doesn't have a clue. She just hopes that this isn't the cause of illness, because curing that won't be an easy task.

Thinking about it now, she wonders how will they cure Link. Sure, they find out what's wrong…but then what? She supposes they could break into a hospital for the necessary tools, but that doesn't sound like something she really wants to do.

"So, to sum it up," Aryll begins to clarify, mostly to herself. "Your blood cell reproduction count is only going to be noticeable if you have multiple bone marrows infected…which is pretty bad."

Link nods and sends his sister a small smile. To Zelda, he looks better than he did before. His fingers aren't shaking anymore, his teeth aren't chattering, and there is no sweat on his forehead. Besides his pallor, he seems relatively normal.

While the women start observing the Leukocytes in his previous blood samples, Link goes back to reflect on his notes from a long time ago when he first started the project. Everybody knows that when Twilit blood is injected into a Hylian body (and vice versa), the foreign cells travel to the heart and kill the cells there. Crepusculumcytes have a similar genetic make up as Hylian blood cells, so at first the Leukocytes don't realize that there are invaders in the body. By the time they do, however, it is already too late.

It's a highly complex subject, because getting the foreign cells into a body isn't like having an incorrect blood transfusion. These new cells act as viruses and the course is always the same: attack the heart and kill.

Link's main focus right now is to figure out what the Crepusculumcytes are doing if they aren't trying to kill him (even though, with the pain in his chest and feverish symptoms, it certainly seems like they are).

Without a word he begins his research, doing everything possible to hide his discomfort. It's as if the symptoms of his problems are the pulsing light on a sleeping computer; they are dormant for a moment and all seems quiet until it rapidly grows and the pain erupts again. He keeps his head bent, his blonde bangs sweeping in front of him to hide the sweat that forms on his brow and the involuntary winces he does when his heart feels like it's twisting itself in a spiral. Sometimes he starts to pant, so he loudly flips through the pages of his notebooks and taps his foot on the floor to cover the sound of his heavy breathing. He can't think of any other way to hide his trembling fingers other than shoving his hands in his pant's pockets and staring at his notes, waiting for the sensation to stop.

Aryll and Zelda may not notice everything, but they aren't stupid. The glow from the single light bulb highlights the sweat on his upper lip and forehead and his mouth hangs open just a tiny bit, his chest rising and falling with each painful breath. They take his constant foot tapping as a way to distract him from the pain or an involuntary function. But, just when they are ready to drag him to the hospital, he releases a calming sigh and seems to return to normal. He works with ease, his fingers steady as he adjusts the microscope and his expression one of relief. Yet the symptoms come back, sending dread through the woman's heart and fear gnawing at their spines all over again.

Sometime during their research, the women present Link with the information they find. They learn that the Leukocytes had at first increased slightly in number and then decreased drastically. While it doesn't seem like much, it is all Link needs to know to add more proof to his suspicions.

Link isn't sure what leads him to his break through, or even how he got there, he just knows that he's made a huge leap after finishing writing down the last line of his conclusion. Of course nothing is set in stone without the correct examinations, but his theory is backed up with enough evidence from the microscopes and previous knowledge on the subject that he's convinced he's correct. He only wishes that he weren't.

The Crepusculumcytes have done something that was thought to be a medical miracle…or a "_dis_miracle." He's not sure when, but some few days back the Twilit blood cells managed to invade one cell-creating bone marrow and changed the Deoxyribonucleic Acid so that the marrow was creating Crepusculumcytes rather than Erythrocytes. The Twilit blood cells did this with other bone marrows, making it so he's now creating Crepusculumcytes. His theory is that he's fifty percent Hylian and fifty percent Twilit (or, on a bit of a ridiculous thought, fifty percent wolf rather than Twilit). A war between the different cells must be taking place inside of him right now but that is still something he is unsure about. His biggest concern, though, is that the Crepusculumcytes might be preparing to strike his heart.

Link has stopped moving and he now sits on his stool staring out into space. His azure eyes are blank as his mind slams to a halt. He had been so hectic only seconds ago, fueling off of his last storage of strength, but now he feels ready to pass out. The room swims, Zelda's beautiful face becoming a blur and bile creeps up his throat only to be pushed back down. One hand grips the edge of the table while the other is limp at his side.

The women instantly notice how still he is, both of them looking up from the textbooks they are reading and sending him curious and concerned stares. At first the man does nothing, but after a few seconds his entire body starts trembling and his breathing becomes heavier. He's pale like the full moon and his eyes are just as wide.

"Link?" Aryll questions, something in his trembling lip making her feel like this situation is worse than the ones before. Standing up from the stool across him, she glides around the table and stands beside him. "What's wrong?"

He's silent for a second, the sound of his deep breathing the only noise before he pushes himself off the seat and stands on shaking legs.

Still looking completely dazed, he whispers in a deathly quiet voice, "I'm going to sleep" before shuffling towards the stairs. He takes no more than two tiny steps before his body sways to the right as if he is on a sailboat in the middle of a storm. He stumbles across the room, his feet tripping over each other, until his shoulder slams into the cold concrete wall. Aryll and Zelda instantly rush over and barely manage to catch him as his body sways again in the opposite direction.

Zelda grabs his shoulders and Aryll wraps her arms around his back. His face has the coldness of a statue, the skin white as snow and his glazed eyes staring straight ahead. No breath comes from his mouth and even his unruly blonde hair seems to remain still.

"Link!" Aryll cries, shaking her brother a bit and his head rocks with the motion. Her mouth is pulled into a deep frown and her eyebrows are furrowed together in determination. She can feel a weakness poking at the bottom of her heart, wanting to crawl it's way into her and make her the little girl she was who relied on everybody else so long ago.

She doesn't cry. She keeps that dependency down there.

"We need to get him to a hospital," Aryll decides while taking a deep breath, calming the overwhelming sense of horror ready to overpower her. By his face she would assume him dead if it weren't for the steady pulse she can feel underneath her fingertips.

In fact…the pulse is a little too strong and very rapid. Definitely over 100 beats per minute.

All Zelda can think as she starts lifting up his torso – Aryll going for his legs – is that they messed up big time. They should have taken him earlier, even if it meant dragging him all the way there. She should have never taken him home that Friday night. What was she thinking then? Leaving him in the lab would have been fine, surely Ganondorf would have taken care of him.

She grits her teeth, annoyed with herself for listening to her instincts about Ganondorf being evil. Maybe he isn't? You're supposed to listen to your head, not your heart.

Before she can correct herself on the saying, her attention is yanked back to carrying Link up the stairs. She doesn't even get the chance to place her foot on the first step when a terrible, heart wrenching shriek erupts from all around them. It sounds inhumane, like those blood curdling yet fake screams in a horror movie, but his is as real as can be.

The man starts thrashing around, continuing to let out those terrifying screams as he clutches the area around his heart. Veins pop out of his neck, hands, and temples, and his face is so scrunched up in the torment that he resembles a balled up piece of paper. He kicks out his legs, jabbing Aryll in the chest and pushing her away.

His lower body goes down and Zelda makes a desperate attempt to grab him, but he rolls away, still clenching his heart. Deathly cries continue to flow out of his mouth and reverberate off the cement walls, making it sound as if the screams are coming from all over.

The women have only seen him like this once before, when he first transformed into a wolf. He may have the same amount of pain, but the source appears different to them. The first time Link had been clutching his head and was scrunched up in a ball, now it seems his focus is on his heart.

Zelda's eyes widen at the terrible possibility of what might be happening. But, if this is true, then why are the Crepusculumcytes attacking now than before? What has changed inside of Link's body that is causing this?

"Help me, Zelda!" Aryll calls out from next to the thrashing man. The younger woman shoves all her weight on top of his legs, attempting to cease their movement. Zelda can barely hear the other woman over the incessant screams of torture. Link's head is thrown back against the ground, his mouth wide open with tears streaming down his face. The secretary rushes over and tries pulling his hands away from his heart, but he uses them like claws and scratches at her.

Zelda lets out a hiss of pain when one of his nails dig deep into her palm, the shallowness of the cut making it sting, and she feels a small drop of warm liquid running down it. However, she pushes it aside and focuses on trying to pick Link up to take him to a hospital.

She abandons his hands and hooks her arms around his back. He doesn't mind that, just twists his head back and forth as his fingers claw at his chest like he's trying to rip something out. Aryll's arms are circled around his jostling legs and, with a silent count to three, they lift him off the ground.

Almost as soon as they do that, Link's condition gets worse. He screeches so much louder than before that the women's ears start to ring and Aryll even becomes a little dizzy from her eardrums' suffering. He tries rolling away from them but the women keep their grip tight. Simultaneously, he jabs at Zelda's ribs with his elbow and sends a powerful kick to his sister's gut. Both of them hold their ground however, their only signs of torment small gasps and winces.

They start taking careful yet hurried steps to the staircase but they don't get far. Just as they're about to step up, a powerful _howl_ sings from Link's mouth. They freeze, staring in wonder at the man's face as he keeps his head tilt back and his mouth pursed while he continues to release the perfect pitched howl. His blue irises are abnormally large, expanding across his eyes except for the white of the cornea in the corners. His pupils are mere slits and his gaze is empty.

Before either woman can even process what's happening, a bright white flash fills the room and pieces of fabric slap across their skin. They feel the weight of Link's body jump away from them in the blinding white and the howl dies with it.

Just as quick as it came, the light is gone and the women regain their senses after a few quick blinks. At their feet, crouched low to the ground with his teeth barred, is the wolf version of Link.

While they aren't surprised that he transformed because that's what normally follows the white flash, they are dumfounded as to why he changed before sundown. The light gleams off of his dagger teeth and claws. His black fur is slick and the white symbol on his head seems more prominent than ever. His cobalt eyes are electric with intensity.

The women take a few steps back, knowing the wolf will calm down once they have gotten out of his personal space, but he doesn't cease his growling. His ears lie flat on his head and the tip of his tail twitches.

A lump forms in Aryll's throat at the sight of that. She had recently researched how wolves communicate and everything right now points to aggression, but that twitch of the tail is a sign that he's about to attack.

"Run!" Aryll cries out at the last second, pushing Zelda out of the way as Link leaps towards her with a powerful snarl. His sister manages to lean backwards, avoiding his teeth that can break a femur, but one of his claws rakes across her arm. She lets out a pained cry and stumbles backwards until she crashes into the table behind her. The objects on it shake a bit though everything remains sound.

She clenches her teeth to hold back a pained groan, placing a hand on her cut and letting the blood seep through her fingers.

Link can't remember anything that happened to him in his human form. That doesn't matter though, what matters is that these women have trapped him in a prison. He can hear the Twilit people begging him to save them, so are these humans trying to keep him away from them? He doesn't care what it takes to get out of here. His people need him _right now_.

All he smells his blood, and not the fresh one oozing out of the woman. It comes from all around him, the scent so strong that it makes his mouth drool. Have these humans been torturing him? How could he have not seen this before! They _are_ evil after all!

After attacking the first woman, he notices the confusion and fear in her eyes but he doesn't let the emotions make him doubt himself. It's their fault for trapping him. They should know better than to imprison a creature with the power that he has!

Wolf Link takes a few steps backwards, his piercing gaze never leaving their alarmed ones, and he tries to find a way out of this cell. With a glance to his right, he sees a jagged slope that seems to go upwards, perhaps away from this place?

And just as he is about to dash to the possibility of being free, the most annoying and high pitch beeping noise blares from everywhere. He hunches down, putting the front of his ears flat on his head to try to keep the sound out but to no avail. The women also wince underneath the obnoxious sound, covering their ears and gritting their teeth.

"It's the burglar alarm!" Zelda shouts to her companion, a newfound fear being born in her mind as she grabs her friend's hand. "We've got to go upstairs to check it out!"

Aryll, tears prickling at her eyes from the stinging pain from her cut, holds down a comment about how you're never supposed to run to the bad people and lets herself be dragged up the stairs. Link, fighting against all the sounds pounding in his head, follows the women, barking the entire way to get them to move faster. He can sense the fear the humans have and it had strengthened when that irritating sound started playing. It mustn't be good if they're terrified too.

They burst through the upstairs floor and Link leaps right around them, running blindly down a hallway. He gets some comfort from being out of the cramped room and the smell of blood gets weaker, though adrenaline is still pumping through his veins and he's confused, terrified, and aggressive in his current situation. He can hear the women's hearts pounding and them yelling out commands at each other. As he flings around a corner, listening to their footsteps rapidly getting closer, he picks up speed to find a way out.

Zelda and Aryll follow the wolf into the family room, both wondering how they can calm the animal down and find the source of what caused the alarm to go off. As soon as they enter the family room they see the tip of Link's tail flash around the threshold of the kitchen door.

They take three long strides forward before stopping in their tracks and letting out startled screams. A enormous brown owl soars through the doorway, letting out hoots similar to a barking noise, but his grace dies the second his talons get tangled in Zelda's long blonde hair.

The next few moments are one of the most frustration and horror that either woman has ever experienced. While Zelda isn't one to get fussy about an animal, she does become fretful when it's claws skim the top of her skull and tug painfully at her hair. She covers her face with her hands, protecting her eyes, as Aryll tries shoving the owl off with a nearby book she grabs. To both of them it's just a blur of brown and white feathers flapping around them, the only noise they hear the extremely aggravating beeping noise and the owl's horrified hoots.

"Quit moving you stupid bird!" Aryll snaps, throwing the book away and trying to untangle the owl's talons with bare hands but the creature keeps flapping its wings all around, making it impossible for the younger woman to see anything. Gritting her teeth, she uses one arm to push against his nearby wing, making it immobile and causing him to lean toward the side. In frustrated and blind fury, Aryll tugs at Zelda's hair, earning a tortured yelp from her, but the owl flaps away freely.

"What in the world is going on here!" Zelda cries as soon as the bird is gone and watches for a second as it flies around the room, screeching and turning its head back and forth.

"Zelda, look!" Aryll calls to her friend, pointing to the kitchen. The window above the sink is smashed (the reason for the burglar alarm) and a medium sized rock rests on the tabletop in a sea of shattered glass. A carton of milk is spilled across the counter in the middle of the room along with a few cups and a small container of salt. Link, with his heavily padded paws, moves effortlessly across the glass and hops up on the counter below the broken window.

While the thought of the owl purposely breaking her window with a rock and then knocking everything over in his panic is far fetched, the idea sticks with Zelda even when she starts running towards Link to stop him from escaping. However, she is too late. The wolf is already leaping from the destroyed window and the owl flies after him in a shower of feathers and barking hoots.

* * *

Ganondorf has never been one for desperate acts but recently things have changed. Everything had been going according to plan until Link became a missing person and took the one thing Ganondorf needs the most.

The synthetic blood. He wouldn't be in this mess if he had the darn thing! He wouldn't be cursing himself every time he reaches the end of Zelda Harkarian's road, turning back around to try finding her house once more. Right now he is just pissed. Pissed that Link ruined all of his experiment plans. Pissed that the fake government workers he hired abandoned their search to help on a dumb overdose. And pissed that everybody on this goddess forsaken street all decided not to put numbers on their pathetic little houses!

He clenches his teeth together and grips the wheel of the car in an attempt to control his anger issues. _Calm, Ganondorf._ He thinks to himself, breathing in deeply and closing his eyes for a moment. _You'll show them. Just have patience._

The thought of _them_ makes him even more determined to get what he needs. When he was a young and ignorant scientist he had refused to perform a dangerous test, scared of the high risks. While some were disappointed in him, he still held respect from all his co-workers…until that old rat face colleague of his decided to perform the test. The fool was lucky, he barely managed to do it without getting himself killed by the chemicals, but he was praised by what he found and was put in the history books.

Ganondorf's eyes fall into slits at the thought of the stupid man. He didn't deserve to get the praise; it was Ganondorf who slaved hour after hour over the research. But now, years later, he is ready to show them all how great a scientist he is. He's so close to proving to the world his skill…but his hopes are being crushed every minute Oakwood is missing with the blood and specimens. Time is running short and he needs them _now_. It's obvious that the blonde secretary knows more than she lets on, why else would she have a clump of black fur with the same DNA as the Blue Eyed Beast? Have they completed the experiment outside the lab? So many questions rush through his head but he knows that they will all be answered once he makes his personal visit to Zelda Harkarian's house.

That is, if he can find it.

It is during these thoughts that he hears the distant sound of a high pitch beeping alarm noise. It grows stronger as he travels down the road and, curious, Ganondorf slows his speed to find the source. He discovers it to be the blue bungalow on his right and he stops at the curb. Everything is still for a moment, the sound of the alarm muffled by his locked up tight car and his breathing is louder than the noise. He's debating on whether or not he should get out of the car to check if he can be of assistance, when his heart stops at the sight of a black dog dashing around the back of the house and heading towards the front. An enormous owl flies above it, his flapping so powerful that the grass sways with it.

At first Ganondorf doesn't notice anything special about the dog, until the animal is at a close enough range that he can clearly see the white mark on its forehead.

Yes.

A small smirk spreads across his face before he reacts in one fluid motion. He yanks out a small syringe of tranquilizer that he always keeps on him in his pocket (something necessary when working with unruly subjects), flings open the door, and steps out of the car.

* * *

_Author's Note_

With the end of the story coming along (though I'm sure it will be another two months or so), I decided that I really wanted more depth into certain characters: Aryll and Ganondorf. If there is anything you don't like about their characters (or anybody), please let me know and I will fix it. Of course, if there is anything in general you don't like about this chapter or previous ones, feel free to let me know because I take all suggestions from everybody.

There isn't much I can say more about this chapter, except man there was a lot of research I had to do! Gosh, it was like going into school early. However, Link's discovery is nowhere near realistic, (In fact, none of this is since I have Crepusculumcytes but I do the research to at least be semi accurate.) but if you do have multiple infections to your bone marrow then you're probably dead. That's what my dad (who's a radiologist) said.

And speaking of school, I'm back in session with it. So far, it sucks. I don't want to bore you with my rant but let me just say that all my free time is spent to homework and soccer. At least I get a half day with the hurricane tomorrow. :)

The next update will probably take a month because of good old school starting up again. I'm so thrilled. (sarcasm). Until then please, please, PLEASE review! Like anybody, I really appreciate and love them!

~~Wave~~

Works Cited

"Blood." _KidsHealth - the Web's Most Visited Site about Children's Health_. Web. 05 Aug. 2010.

"Bone Marrow Disorders." _Lab Tests Online: Welcome!_ 18 June 2010. Web. 05 Aug. 2010.

"Fever in Adults: Causes, Treatment, Medications and Prevention by ." _E Medicine Health_. 03 Aug. 2010. Web. 03 Aug. 2010.

"Physical Exam." _Welcome to _. Web. 06 Aug. 2010.


	9. Chapter 9 REVISED

Author's Note

Previously on Rivers Need Springs:

_Aryll wakes up to find Link looking deathly ill as he sleeps on the couch. Thankfully, he awakens sometime later and they begin doing some desperate research to find a cure before it is too late. Link makes a huge discovery, learning that the Crepusculumcytes have invaded some of his bone marrow and recreating more Twilit cells. Before he can release this information, however, he starts convulsing and turns into a rampaging wolf. Then, with the help of Kaepora, he escapes the house._

_The story then shifts view to Ganondorf, who mentions how he wants to redeem himself after his "honor," so to speak, was stolen when a co-worker of his performed an experiment and got all the credit. He's on his way to Zelda's house when he sees Link running out of the building._

And that's all you need to know for Rivers Need Springs.

**EDIT:** Due to MythCreatorWriter's and Sparty the Bold's excellent points I have done a few edits to this chapter. If you are curious as to what they are please look at their review. **END OF EDIT.**

I am so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so sorry that I haven't updated in over a month! D: I was at a slump as to how to start this, even though I knew the basic run out of what I was going to do, but I had second thoughts and, after spending about two weeks debating over them, finally made a decision and tried to dive into it. Unfortunately, life got in the way. Besides having three major projects due in literature (one of which is due in two days and I haven't even started), I got whiplash during a soccer game (which sounds pretty lame) and I couldn't move my head for about five days, my friend got surgery, and I took a short trip to Canada. Maybe that will lighten your load of anger towards my slowness in updating, but at least I try giving you the best of my work, right?

And even though I'm super slow, I do love and appreciate all the reviews I gotten last chapter. Thank you so, so much to **Airplane, MythCreatorWriter, la generala, Outcast-Gangland 9, Chiharu-angel, , Sparty the Bold, Kattheamazing, Emmey, Canada Cowboy, SailorMeowMeow, **and** Legend of Zelda 4 Life**! I know I'm awful at updating but you still keep reviewing and I love you all for it, no matter what you say. :)

So I'm going to shut up now and hope that you like this

~~Wave~~

* * *

Chapter Nine – Rock Throwing Owls

TUESDAY

Ever since that fatal Friday night, when Link transformed into a wolf, his, Zelda's, and Aryll's lives were similar to a little boy snowboarding for the first time. It starts off a little shaky with nerves making him sweat through his mittens, but then shifts to a more stalwart pace. He weaves around trees and other skiers and snowboarders with a little more ease. Soon he's smiling and admires the view of the distant blue mountains and the sun so bright it makes the snow look like tinsel, but just when things seem to be perfect his board's edge catches a patch of ice. Before the boy can even scream he's rolling down the slope out of control, flipping over and over again, the weight of his board propelling him forward. Somehow, he manages to notice a tree up ahead that's little out of arms reach. Even through all the chaos, he knows that if he can grab the trunk or even a branch he can stop himself from careening over the edge.

That's how it has been for the trio for the past five days. It was rough at first, with Zelda and Link unpleasant to each other and everybody confused on what they should do, but over a few days the mood began to lighten up with food fights and songs.

Unfortunately, this morning was the ice on the slope, knocking down their board of stability and sending each one flying down the mountain screaming. Yet, even when the women were chasing after a rampaging wolf, even when a random owl helped Link escape the house, they still had a bit of hope that everything would be fine.

This chance, however, is crushed the second Zelda and Aryll burst out of the front door and come to an abrupt halt on the top step. The site before them leaves the women baffled, their mouths hanging open and their bodies teetering over the edge, with the only sound the burglar alarm blasting behind them. They dumbly stare across the small yard at a man who clenches a syringe in his meaty hand. At his feet lies a wolf, but there is no sign of the enormous owl that had been with him; however, that doesn't matter. What matters is that the man's presence is what chops the tree down. The boy's hand reaches out into thin air.

"What did you do to him!" Aryll yells after a moment of stunned silence, not recognizing the man but sprinting across the yard nevertheless. Zelda, on the other hand, instantly has chills up her spine the second she spots his ugly gray skin and crimson wispy hair that shines like a fire, even with the sun covered by clouds. This man annihilates their last piece of hope to keep their world stable. Now its bound to spiral into full-blown chaos. She feels like a stone has fallen into her stomach, pulling her gut down, but she pushes the immense sense of dread away as she chases after her companion.

Ganondorf doesn't answer at first, just studies the young woman running towards him and, from the blonde hair and blue eyes, reasons that she must be Oakwood's sister.

"I tranquilized him," he responds in a gruff voice, his beady yellow eyes following her every move as she kneels beside her brother and wraps her thin arms around his furry neck. Her companion is quick to follow, standing beside her as she struggles to control her heavy breathing. "But, more importantly, would you care to tell me what is going on here?"

There is a moment of silence while Aryll scans over her brother's body for wounds and Zelda regains her composure. Despite her tangled hair and baggy sweat pants, the secretary shows great strength with the way she holds her head high and how her icy blue eyes burn into the man before her. Their coldness hides the fear and confusion she feels right now.

"Only if you explain to me why you're here," Zelda replies, her voice as monotone as he remembers it.

Ganondorf raises an eyebrow at her, alarmed that this secretary of such low status would ever confront him in such a bitter way, but answers after realizing she isn't taking back her words.

Squaring his shoulders, he replies smoothly, "There is a lot of confusion involving you, Mr. Oakwood's, and the specimen's whereabouts. The men who had visited you yesterday had failed to retrieve any useful information, so I came here myself. Now tell me, why was the Blue Eyed Beast running out of the house with you two following it?"

Zelda hesitates for a second as she ponders on what to do. There is no good, convincing lie she'll be able to tell him that he'll actually believe, so what else is there to do?

Before she can think more on this though, Ganondorf assails another question at her.

"Where's Oakwood?"

She remains silent, the only thought running through her head that they are so screwed.

The two women watch as his golden eyes glance back and forth between Zelda's blank face crumbling to show her nervousness, to the wolf lying unconscious, and Aryll's embrace around his neck. When he tested the sample of black fur found by the fake government workers at Zelda's house, not only did he discover it to have the same DNA as the Blue Eyed Beast, but traces of human too.

After about ten seconds, Ganondorf eyes widen and his mouth falls open just a tiny bit. He stares at the crest on the wolf's forehead, frozen on the spot for a good moment, before he releases an irritated sigh and orders in a softer tone, "Put him in the backseat. Your alarm is attracting attention and we can't have people seeing him."

Aryll snaps her head up at that and tightens her grip on her brother. With narrowed eyes, she hisses back fiercely, "No! We are taking him to the hospital!"

Surprisingly to Zelda, Ganondorf keeps a calm and – what's this? – _sympathetic_ expression on his face. His yellow eyes and frown show the tiniest bit of concern as he replies in a comforting tone, "I understand that you want to protect your brother, but I'll be of more help than the hospital."

Aryll bites her lip and glances up at Zelda, both of them gazing at each other in confusion. Should they reach out towards Ganondorf for help? There has been no evidence of evil intentions from him, besides his intimidating manner and the fact that he just so happens to have a tranquilizer on him, but that doesn't mean he's vile, yet this whole time their instincts have been telling them otherwise.

"We'd really feel more comfortable brining him to a hospital -," Zelda begins to say but Ganondorf cuts her off in an alarmingly bitter tone.

"Sure, bring in a creature that is said to be a mere myth to such a public place. You want to explain to them how your have this creature and then have a ton of riots about religious ethics and what not? You signed a contract, Miss. Harkarian, and by taking this animal to any place more public than this will throw you in jail."

"I didn't sign a contract," Aryll retorts strongly, lifting her head high and speaking loudly over the annoying alarm blaring in the background.

They've been outside too long now for anybody's liking and Ganondorf quickly looks around him, peering over the car to see an old woman poking her head out of her front door. It won't be long before more neighbors come out or the cops.

Gritting his teeth in frustration, the man whips his head around and says with aggravation, "I don't know why you two aren't being reasonable and trusting me – the only person who is able to help you – but I don't think we want any random people seeing this creature. I promise you I won't hurt him, but please put him in the backseat and let's get out of here."

Aryll looks up to Zelda, torn between her former beliefs and the truth in his words. They lock eyes, both their faces creased with nervous frowns. "I'll do it if you want to. I don't think we have much of a choice," Zelda admits reluctantly.

Aryll's shoulders slump in defeat as she agrees with a nod. Ganondorf then hastily scoops up the large animal and gently places him in the backseat of the car. Aryll slides in after her brother, keeping a hand on his shoulder while warily watching the man slip into the driver's seat and Zelda into the passenger. They are speeding down the road in seconds, the vehicle turning the corner so smoothly that it is like they are swimming down a gentle river, though the feelings they have are anything but.

"Where are we going?" Zelda questions in a commanding tone, regaining her composure again after a few deep breaths. Her ice-cold eyes follow all the street signs, and she mentally plots their route down as they leave the outskirts and enter the busier part of the city

"I have a lab that will suit his needs," Ganondorf responds calmly, more relaxed now that they left the scene that drew too much unwanted attention.

"I assume you aren't talking about the H.N.G.L.S.?"

"It's another secret lab, which reminds me…" Ganondorf mumbles his reply as he flips open a compartment between the two front seats and brings out two pieces of paper, handing them over to Zelda. "You two need to sign one of these each."

The secretary quickly scans the document, recognizing it to be the same confidentiality contract she had signed when first taking her job. It makes sense to sign it, since they are going to a new lab, and it is standard procedure she's familiar with. Even though, she reads it twice before handing one sheet back to Aryll before writing her name in curvy letters at the bottom. While she is definitely not in the mood to be signing anything Ganondorf has given her, she knows legal issues aren't going to affect her anymore. At the moment, none of it matters.

Once both papers are signed, Ganondorf folds them up with one free hand and stuffs them in his suit's pocket. "Good," he says satisfactorily. "But if you want me to help him, you are going to have to explain _everything_, understand? Leave nothing out."

Zelda looks behind her to see Aryll snuggled up close to her sleeping brother, slowly stroking his fur while staring back at her with wide cobalt eyes. Swallowing nervously, she gives a small nod.

Facing forward again and taking a deep breath as her composure dies again, heart pounding wildly and blood rushing through her head, Zelda begins in a shaky voice,

"It started last Friday…and it was twilight."

* * *

Aryll doesn't enjoy hearing Zelda explain almost everything that has occurred since her arrival, and she imagines that her friend is feeling worse since she's the one confessing to the man that they've all feared for the past five days. Though here they are, turning the corner onto Jay Avenue where the notorious secret laboratory resides.

The drive was a long half an hour that was full of awkward and tense silences after Zelda finished her story. She didn't mention how they were against asking Ganondorf because they think he's a total creep (Aryll personally believes it would help him if he smiled a bit more, or maybe got into more relaxing clothing rather than tight suits). There excuse for their secrecy from Ganondorf is that they thought he'd fire them when he discovered the accident Link had. It's a dumb excuse but even Zelda can't think of anything better, either because there is no good lie or she's too frazzled with the turn of events to have a clear head.

She doesn't mention the food fight or Link singing to her either. She sticks to the facts about the Crepusculumcytes' progress and Link's actions as a wolf. Ganondorf doesn't say a word the entire time, just nods along when he feels it's appropriate but makes a disgusted and confused face at certain points. His mouth does a funny twist, like a wave, and one eyebrow arches while the other goes down. Aryll just focuses on his expressions to stay sane, blocking out Zelda's voice spilling all their secrets.

Once everything has been explained, Ganondorf asks a few questions about the Crepusculumcytes for clarifications but doesn't say a word after that. It's an awkward silence at first, one where Aryll is debating on being direct with her distrust for the man or trying to stay on his good side. Even after all that time, she's still pondering her options when they turn to their destination.

The ride was exhausting but pulling up along the side of the road in front of a run down warehouse makes the women want to stay in the car forever and ever.

The building is about three stories high and relatively wide – a box shape. Its brick walls are an assortment of disgusting brown and dusty red colors, some bricks covered in so much grime that they're black and others white from facing nature's elements. The graffiti's color that decorates the bottom is dull with age, the words no longer readable. Yet, through all the classic abandoned warehouse qualities, its windows are in perfect condition and still manage to sparkle on this cloudy day.

The entire street is similar to the buildings appearance: filthy and foreboding. Cans and crumpled pieces of paper float down the road with a brisk breeze, the summer heat seeming to have fled on this day. The other buildings are small two story apartments with paint flaking off of the wooden walls and windows smashed. Not a soul is about, as if everybody knows not to come down this road.

Without a word Ganondorf turns the car off and jumps out. He swings open the back door and goes to reach for Link but Aryll pulls her brother's body towards her. He hesitates, hands still stretched out, and sends a demanding stare into the young woman's wide eyes.

"Where are we?" Aryll questions and swallows the lump in her throat.

"The lab, just like I said," the man responds lucidly as Zelda slips out of the passenger seat and opens the door opposite of Ganondorf. "53 Jay Avenue."

"It looks nothing like H.N.G.L.S.," Zelda comments, glancing at the rusted door of the warehouse and remembering the sleek silver walls of her workplace.

"Let's just say it's a top, _top_ secret laboratory," the man smiles a bit, but seeing the stone cold faces of the women, he gives up on trying to lighten the mood and sighs in defeat, "It's better inside. Let's go before we attract any attention or he wakes up and tries to kill us all."

Even though it seems that there is not a person around to see them, the two friends agree and allow Ganondorf to carry Link inside the building, both of them following close behind and watching his every move.

When the man said that it was better inside, he was giving an understatement. They enter into a square room where the walls, ceiling, and floors are a sleek metal that shines like ice but is as hard as concrete. There is not one speck of dirt and it is perfectly lit, so easy on the eyes that neither woman has ever realized how uncomfortable public lighting can be. The only furniture in the room are a few chairs, the flimsy plastic kind you would find in a cafeteria, and it throws off the whole futuristic feel of the place. Compared to the filth and ominous atmosphere from outside, though, this place is private paradise. But maybe a little too private…

The second the door shuts behind them with a powerful _click_, two men that look like they're from a SWAT team burst from the opposite entrance of the room. Black padding on their chest, knees, elbows, and back cover some of their light gray jumpsuit underneath. The worst part, however, are the huge guns held tightly in their hands.

Ganondorf approaches the men and holds Link's sleeping body before them. "Take him up to room 203," he instructs and the men each reach for the wolf, awkwardly holding the animal and their guns at the same time.

"Whoa!" Aryll steps in instantly, walking straight up to the men with Zelda close behind. "What do you plan on doing with him? We have to be there every step of the way!"

The men hesitate, their faces covered by a tinted glass shield attached to their helmets. They turn their heads to their boss, whose hair looks likes a raging fire with the light shining into it.

"I understand your concern," Ganondorf says to the two women in a relaxed tone, his voice sounding sympathetic once again. "But this is top secret and you aren't allowed anywhere past this room. I promise that Professor Oakwood will come to no harm –"

"We signed a confidentiality contract, we can see it," Zelda interjects stubbornly, crossing her arms and sending a piercing gaze to her boss.

While the secretary before Ganondorf has always been uptight and rarely smiles, he easily senses hostility underneath her stone expressions and doesn't quite understand her sudden lack of professionalism. He's puzzled as to why they kept the whole thing a secret in the first place, did they not think he could help? Or, perhaps a better question, did they not think he _would_ help?

"That may be, but only I am allowed into the laboratory, nobody else has ever been there. I'm sorry, but you are not allowed entrance," Ganondorf protests in a respectful tone.

"Then I'm sorry because you cannot take Link with you if we are not welcomed to join you," she retorts and Aryll smiles a tiny bit from beside her, crossing her arms and giving a curt nod.

Ganondorf then notices that she just addressed Oakwood by his first name. Even if somebody only knew Zelda for a few minutes, they would learn that she calls nobody by informal titles. Bewildered, the man wonders what in the world has changed in only a few days.

Quickly recovering from the initial shock, Ganondorf clenches his teeth in annoyance at how adamant she is being. Tired of beating around the bush, he asks a little more forcefully now, "What do you think I'll do? Why do you not trust me?"

Aryll stiffens up beside her friend but Zelda retorts back instantly in her monotone voice, "For many reasons. You sent _fake _government workers to my house. Why did they have to be fake?"

At the mention of this event, Ganondorf's eyebrows draw closer together in a "V" and his mouth transforms into a frown. Before he can even get a word in, however, she continues in her icy tone.

"Also," Zelda states matter-of-factly. "You conveniently had a tranquilizer to stop Link. While the object was necessary, it is still suspicious because anybody with such an item on hand regularly has a pretty…_interesting_ story."

"Such questions can be answered later," the man replies after a second of hesitation. "It won't be long until he wakes up and tries killing us all. I'm going to ask nicely for your permeation to stabilize his condition while you wait in the lobby."

"You can only work with him as long as we are right next to you," Zelda replies strongly and Aryll is beaming beside her, proud to be having somebody like her friend with her in this situation.

"I tried to be polite," he responds, still in a respectful tone nevertheless. "But it looks like you leave me no choice. I need two more guards in here!"

Instantly the door that the other workers came through swing open, revealing two more men dressed in the same attire. They march over with their guns held diagonally across their chest and freeze beside the large man with flaming red hair.

"Don't let them go anywhere," he commands in a deep voice and starts making his way towards the door the men appeared from, the original guards hot on his heels with Link sprawled between their arms.

"You can't do that!" Aryll cries out, her and Zelda lunging out to grab him but stop the second the guards point the barrels of their guns at their heads.

"Crap…" the younger woman mutters, glancing back and forth between the featureless men as Ganondorf and his goons head through the doorway.

"Don't expect us to do nothing!" Zelda warns but the man doesn't stop as the door shuts behind him with a powerful _thud_.

* * *

His head is throbbing; the blood feels like it's rubbing against his skull and his heart beats loudly in his ears. He senses meaty hands gently pushing his shoulder and a small stinging pain in his leg. Through all the fog in his mind, he recognizes the sliding yet aching sensation to be a syringe injecting something into him.

At first he is concerned and struggles to open his heavy eyelids, but as soon as the pain stops he feels his raging headache ease and his thoughts become clearer. Nausea that he didn't even realize he had fades away, leaving him feeling like he just woke up from a deep sleep.

Not only that, but his memories are coming back. He remembers Kaepora, how the owl would never shut up and helped him escape from the house… And thoughts of the house remind him of his sister, Aryll, and Zelda, both of their faces vibrant in his mind. Now he can recall everything from his human side and his wolf side. His memories have entwined themselves together, everything finally making sense.

Rejuvenated, he swishes his tail and blinks his bleary eyes open. Everything is blurry for a moment but it quickly comes in to focus on a huge man with crimson wispy hair and beady golden eyes.

The man quickly yet silently takes a few steps backwards, whispering soft words that flow into Link's mind like a lullaby. Twitching his ears, he controls his hearing and focuses on the man's words,

"Do not worry, Oakwood," he coos, reaching for a nearby door and pushing it open. "I have stabilized your condition, you will be fine for a while."

He then hears a door closing, the man disappearing from view, and Link blinks a few more times to clear the water in them. Soon everything is in focus again and he observes his surroundings. He's in a small, dimly lit chamber with tiny light bulbs that dangle from the high ceiling, each releasing a faint and odd maroon color. The red tint shines against the glass walls of the room, causing the long hallway outside to seem completely crimson. He sees Ganondorf hunched over a table, typing something up on his laptop, and massive, complex machines with way too many lights surrounding him like minions waiting for an order.

Looking down at his left paw, he sees a heavy, black plastic ring wrapped around his ankle. There isn't anything interesting about it besides a small green light that probably indicates the device is working.

And if things aren't confusing enough, it doesn't help to have two other people huddled in the opposite corner of the glass chamber.

At first he doesn't know what they are. They have a mix of black and white skin with burning crimson irises, yellow corneas, and large black pupils. The hair on both of them is a flaming red to orange color, but that is the only similarity between the two.

"Look who decided to wake up," a strangely familiar voice breaks the silence, the person gliding towards him and hovering inches above the ground. She has an impish appearance, her body small with stubby legs and gangly arms. Blue, illuminated lines crisscross in an intricate design up part of her legs and arms. Her head is overly large, but maybe it seems that way because of a huge, almost U-shaped helm made of chiseled stone with even more complex patterns decorating its surface. It covers most of her face except for one large eye, a tiny nose, and a wide scowl.

Link takes a few steps back, surprised that she speaks English until he realizes something very important when she talks again. Her words are slurred and her tongue clicks occasionally, yet he comprehends it perfectly.

"I prayed to the goddesses for a savior, they tell me he will come, and we get some imposter," she snaps, placing her hands on her hips and shaking her head, her spiky yellow pony tail swishing like a tail. The dim red lighting casts half of her body in shadow and gives her sharp teeth a bloody appearance.

"Please, Princess," another woman begs in a respectful and soft tone from the corner, her features more human than the other yet sickly too. Unlike the impish person, her skin is entirely creamy white and her lava eyes dull. The blue lines on her limbs are faint and her red hair is stringy, hanging down her back like a curtain. Her drastically thin arms wrap around each other, holding something close to her chest. "Perhaps he will help us?"

The _princess_ snorts and crosses her arms, her pointed ears twitching as she replies, "Look at his clueless face – see how his eyes are wider than an owl's? – he has no idea what is happening. If somebody is brought to us, sleeping in the arms of our enemy, I doubt he is going to do anything useful."

The imp glides closer and lands soundlessly on her feet. Link tilts his head back but she grabs hold of his ear, tugging at it and inspecting his face with a look of disgust.

"You smell like lilies and chemicals…where on earth did you come from?" She questions, scrunching her nose and narrowing her one eye.

_I could ask you the same thing, _Link bitterly thinks to himself, suppressing a snarl as she continues to jerk his head around.

"Yes, I suppose getting to know each other would be _so_ helpful," she remarks bitterly, rolling her eyes and jumping away back beside the white woman. She then releases a tinkling laugh, her scowl stretching into a smirk and she teases, "You should see your face, kid! You're so surprised that I know what you're thinking? How else are we supposed to communicate?"

Link remains silent, a whirlwind of questions flying through his head as the princess laughs some more and her companion remains solemn beside her. Is this the person who had entered his dream a few days back?

"Who am I? What am I? What connections?" She points out, lifting off the ground and floating with her arms swaying around her. "Such good questions…I guess it's best to inform you that I am Princess Midna, leader of the Twilight Province."

She says the last part with defiance, not pride, and stops speaking like she is waiting for him to do something. Link ponders what he has just learned…why does that name sound so familiar? He roughly recalls newspapers and constant reports on…on what?

It suddenly clicks and he realizes that she is the one who went missing! Yes, it is all coming back to him now. About three years ago, the highest-ranking person in all of the Twilight Province – Princess Midna (who is actually a queen, not a princess) – went missing along with three other random Twilits. The odd thing, however, is that he recalls the missing leader to be quite beautiful and much more human than this imp floating before him. What could have happened to change all of that?

Midna's grin returns and she chides, "So you recognize me? Well aren't you smart!" Gliding backwards, she hovers beside the luminous white woman who follows the imp's every move with somber eyes. "This here is Olathe, a dear friend of mine. And, in her arms, is her baby boy, Amadeus."

It's the first time Link has even thought of what the woman – Olathe – is holding. Twitching his ears forward, he hears a soft and slow heartbeat from the cradle in her arms. A strange stillness falls upon the room, Midna's face suddenly as expressionless as the night. While Link walks toward the family, the white woman staring at him with wide, hopeful eyes, she twists her body around so that her baby is extended to him.

The wolf stops in front of the child, an ache forming in his heart when he sees how ill the baby must be. He's the same sickly white as his mother but he isn't even glowing, and neither are the blue lines that twist around his arms and legs. His skin is a dull ivory, like grimy marble.

Link can feel the stares of the women burning into him and he thinks that they want him to do something, but what?

Uncertain, he bends his head and, with great care, gently touches his nose to the baby's forehead. The breath of the sleeping child warms the fur underneath his chin but, as soon as they make contact, the boy's body temperature sends chills through Link. The baby is freezing, in fact the entire area around him is numbing. It's as if Olathe and Amadeus are so sick that they radiate their unhealthy body temperatures.

He takes a step back, bewildered by what just happened, yet the Olathe's small mouth tugs into a tight smile, her ragged teeth poking through her lips. "Thank you, my lord," she whispers, closing her eyes and bowing her head. "Perhaps your blessing will spare him of the torture we go through."

With only a glance at Midna, she already knows the questions on his mind before he can even speak them.

Her mouth dips into a frown as she begins to explain in a grave voice, "You know the man out there, Ganondorf, don't you? Well, he's the one who kidnapped us for his own personal testing on the Twilit Race. That was about three years ago, right after the time King Daphnes banned all experiments on our society. Like many others, he worked in secret. On what his project is, I'm not sure but I don't care. He's caused us too much suffering for me to care!"

She says the last line with such sudden ferocity it causes Link to flinch. A tiny fang peeks out from underneath her thin upper lip and her red eye narrows. As she continues to speak, her tone growing more aggressive with each word, her pointed fingers slowly ball into fists. "He tried doing some dumb experiment on Olathe's husband, Tocho, and we lost him. While we wept for our loss, Ganondorf was only annoyed with the inconvenience of losing a test subject, so he took more care when doing the same experiment on Olathe and her child. They barely survived but look at them now! Do you not see the sickly white color they both share? Such skin like that means certain death but he still injects chemicals into them!"

Link can only stand there, baffled at everything he is hearing and feeling cornered by the woman's fervent explanation. All her teeth are showing now and her fiery orange hair is standing on end. Voice rising, she exclaims, "And look at me! Do you see what he did to me? I'm this pathetic, disfigured imp! And take a look at Zant…yeah, the guy behind you. Look at him!"

Link hurriedly spins around to see a very strange man indeed, one he didn't notice before. His tall, pale body is curled up into ball in the corner of the cell, his face stuffed in his arms and his knees up to his chest. Tattered black robes cover his frail figure and the red light from the ceiling casts an eerie glow on his pasty skin.

Adjusting his ears, Link can hear an unsteady heartbeat and faint moans from the man known as Zant. When Midna speaks again, it's in a quieter and emptier tone.

"He's another experiment that went wrong. Sometimes he sits there for either weeks or only a few minutes, but if you touch him he'll bite you with rage I have never seen before. Every once in a while he mumbles about gaining power and ruling all the land. That's not as bad though when he's agitated. It's the strangest thing…he jumps and flails around while reciting the legend of the Blue Eyed Beast. Zant used to be my friend, now he either never speaks to me or tries to kill me."

Link's breath hitches in his throat as he turns back around to face the princess. The second he sees her hollow red eyes and tears sliding gracefully down Olathe's cheeks, he feels horrible for working so long with a man who caused this much torment. Maybe this is why he couldn't control his wolf body before. As strange as it sounds, maybe the Blue Eyed Beast inhabited his wolf body before to help him find a way to save these people? Now that he's here, he doesn't need the ancient spirit to guide him.

_Yep, I've gone crazy_, Link thinks to himself as he swallows a lump in his throat.

They stand there in silence for a moment, the only noise Zant's soft moans before Midna releases a long sigh and closes her eye. Gently landing back down on the ground, she admits sorrowfully, "We prayed for our savior to come and they sent us you. I don't know what is so special in you, kid, and I'm starting to think the goddesses just like messing with us. The world works in funny ways, huh?"

* * *

Zelda and Aryll sit in the uncomfortable plastic chairs with the guards leaning against the wall across the room. At first the men had stood close to their prisoners with their guns pointed at the women's heads but, after ten minutes, they grew tired and went to stand in a more comfortable position. Now, through all the women's fury and confusion, it is odd to listen to the two masked guards talk so casually to each other.

"Dude, I swear Claire is going to kill me!" One of them complains to the other with a groan, his voice deep and with one of those permanent tones of arrogance found on certain people.

"What did you do this time?" The other responds in an almost annoyed and bored tone, as if he's heard this a thousand times before.

"She's a slut I tell you. I work this terrible job just so she can have a better life –whatever that is – and she complains that I'm gone too much! I'm doing this job for her yet she's still only thinking about her self! It's taking all my might not to hit her," the man sneers while Zelda and Aryll exchange looks of surprise. These men were so professional only minutes before but now, with their boss's absence, they are showing their true nature. It's a disturbing conversation yet listening to something that doesn't involve their current predicament is sort of relaxing. Of course, the fact that they find this conversation of beating women relaxing is disturbing in itself…

"Once the boss is done you can go back to your girl. Just have some patience, okay?" The irritated guard replies, struggling to keep his tone calm but failing; however, his partner doesn't notice and continues on his rant.

"He's been at this for three years! Who knows when he'll be done?"

"Maybe that wolf he got will speed things up," the guard replies dryly and, even though his face is hidden, the women can hear the frown in his voice. The other man then goes on a tangent about how lame Claire is and how his job is terrible. Zelda and Aryll listen keenly for any helpful details but, sadly, gain nothing.

After a while Zelda tries focusing on an escape plan but her thoughts keep getting yanked back to Ganondorf's actions. He offers to help, and it seems genuine, but then locks them in this room as he takes Link away. What is so important that they aren't allowed to see and that needs guards waiting on his hand and foot? He had hired fake government workers, but why not real ones? He works for a government agency, he has access to them, so what's the reason for his secrecy? She has a feeling that if she can get to where Link is she'll find her answers.

"Claire hasn't really given it up to me recently, if you know what I mean. Maybe I should just quit this thing if she doesn't even appreciate it -," the guard's rant is suddenly destroyed by a loud thud and then a cracking sound immediately following it. An alarming stillness instantly befalls the room and everybody snaps their heads around only to find the small window beside the door covered in a spider web of cracks, as if a baseball was thrown at it but lacked enough force to fully break through. The casual conversation that had been shared between the two men is completely forgotten as everybody gazes at the window, waiting for something more to happen.

Seconds later, a rock the size of a fist smashes through the window, finishing the job as shards of glass burst in all directions. The sound crushes the silence like a bullet and makes everybody jump in surprise.

The next few moments move slowly for Zelda yet the time that elapses is only about a minute. Immediately after the window's shattering a very familiar owl swoops through the opening and hoots incessantly, flapping his massive wings as he soars around the room, leaving large brown feathers in his wake.

Startled, the guards forget their initial task and hoist their guns into shooting position, following the bird's every move with the barrels. It's now that Zelda realizes what the bird may be doing. It's preposterous to think that maybe the owl _knows_ what they are going through, yet she finds herself considering the option nevertheless. Does it understand the need for them to escape and find Link? Who knows, but it sure is working.

Aryll has the same idea as her companion and is already sprinting towards the other door while the owl swoops towards the men, curving around to dodge their bullets, and digs his talons into their chests. The painfully loud noise of the shots drown out their rapid footfalls and Zelda only hears a few more grunts, furious screeches, and gunshots before she dashes from the room and the door slam shuts behind her.

Aryll snatches a plastic chair from its spot against the wall and shoves it underneath the doorknob. Without another thought, they sprint down the narrow, empty hallway and dash up the steel staircase at the end of the corridor.

They begin sprinting up the stairwell two steps at a time, the sound of their pursuers banging down the door booming in their ears. By the time they reach the top of the three flights, the door that Aryll had blocked crashes to the ground and they hear the sound of the men shouting commands to stop. Of course, they don't relent and dash through the door at the top of the stairwell.

With their momentum propelling them, the women continue running into the new room and straight into the back of a large, red headed man with a white lab coat over a smooth suit.

He spins around as the two stumble a few inches backwards; his yellow eyes a mix of shock, nervousness, and, strangely, shame.

"What are you doing in here?" Ganondorf demands instantly in an anxious tone, a striking contrast to his intimidating appearance. Yet neither woman responds, they are both too busy gaping at the small, rectangular room they have stumbled upon. Behind the accosting man is a small steel table that is covered with neat piles of black folders and a laptop. Past that is a large assortment of various metal machines, all with blinking lights and numbers on their monitors. Zelda recognizes a few of the contraptions but doesn't have the ability to focus on them and neither does Aryll, because the glass prison to their right soaks up all of their attention.

There is a moment of awkward silence where everybody is staring at each other with a mix of dread and curiosity. Ganondorf watches helplessly as the women stare at the wolf inside the cage who stands beside a small group of Twilits. Link's head is raised high, his cobalt eyes sparkling red from inside his cage, while the people beside him look curiously at the intruders.

It doesn't take long for Zelda and Aryll to see what's going on here. From her time in the lab and Aryll's college work on the legends, they both understand that no Twilit should have skin as white as the female Twilit, nor should one look so deformed as the other one that hovers beside Link. The possibility of Ganondorf's true intentions had always been lingering in their minds, but the site before them is all the evidence they need to prove their suspicions.

As the older woman turns her gaze to Ganondorf, her eyes wide and arms limp by her side, Aryll sprints to the glass and presses her face against it.

"Link!" She cries, banging on it while a grin spreads across her brother's face. He leans on his back legs and strands up straight with his front paws against the wall. Despite the barrier between the siblings, Aryll smiles and Link barks, his tongue hanging out in a sloppy fashion and his tail wags. "Are you okay? Can you understand me again?" The sister questions, her hands running over the smooth surface in a desperate attempt to find an opening.

Link nods his large wolf head, which only makes Aryll grin even more.

While Zelda is also pleased to see that Link is more "human" than before, she's still trying to wrap her mind around what is happening. She thought acts of racism had been at rest for years, despite the occasional insults that she hears of on the news, but to actually know somebody with such a despicable hatred makes her stomach churn. The Twilit woman has a deathly ill appearance and Zelda can't tell if the baby in her arms is asleep or dead. Beside her is a mutated one with the appearance of an imp and, hiding in the corner, is a mere jumble of rags from her viewpoint. How can anybody do this to another?

Zelda doesn't need to say anything to Ganondorf, her horrified eyes burn into his, making him confess to his crimes in seconds.

"I can explain," he mumbles, hesitating as a sense of betrayal befalls the woman's face. For two years she's been working with this man, and now this? For the past few days the possibility had been on her mind, but actually living it is shocking.

At the sound of his voice, Aryll and Link turn quiet, looking over at the man as he confesses his sins.

With a deep sigh, the man continues in a somewhat irritated and exhausted voice, "The government is foolish. It ceased all tests on the Twilits even when they know that performing these experiments are completely necessary. Can you comprehend how much more we would learn by studying them? Twilits have amazing abilities, varying from person to person, yet we Hylians have nothing. We could try grasping that power and truly make the world a better place. Does that not sound pleasing to you?"

By the end of his speech, an excited glint has sparked in his eyes while Zelda's mouth twists into a frown. Her eyes slowly become narrower and, when she speaks again, it's with pure bitterness.

"Altering the natural way of life is not making it better," she retorts, the rest of the room hushed and hanging on her every word. "King Daphnes has not ceased all progress on Twilit research, there is still much you can do with the limited experiments they are allowing –"

"You really think some blood samples are going to do anything?" Ganondorf interrupts hotly. "You spent days looking at those microscopes with Oakwood and didn't have all the answers to solve the puzzle. I, however, discovered more than he did in one hour. I have stabilized his condition and am now endeavoring to find a way to remove the synthetic blood from his system. You should be grateful I have done so, because if I haven't the Twilit cells would have destroyed all of his Hylian ones and he'd be stuck as a rampaging wolf forever."

Zelda opens her mouth to speak but the doors behind her fly open, the sound of men rushing in making her silent. She doesn't resist when one of them latch onto her arms, the other racing to Aryll who squirms underneath his tight grip. From inside the glass prison, Link barks and aggressively paws at the wall, the floating imp beside him scowling and glaring at Ganondorf.

Throughout this, Zelda keeps her stone cold expression. Her head is held high and her ice blues eyes drill into Ganondorf's yellow ones.

His shoulders slouch and he turns his gaze towards the cage. Zelda follows it and sees he looking directly at the floating imp. There is something strangely familiar about the deformed woman, the way her black and white skin swirls around each other and how her elegant, long fingers rest limply by her side. It's her powerful demeanor that reminds Zelda of the princess that was captured those many years back, but how could she possibly be linked to this creature?

"I originally didn't mean to take the Princess of Twilight," Ganondorf begins, his voice low and with regret. "I wish I never found her passed out on the road that night. I'll never know how she came to be there – and I'm starting to think she forgets too – but I wish that I recognized her face through all the darkness and mud on that rainy night. At the time I thought I was lucky to find a healthy Twilit like herself but she quickly made it almost impossible to go on with my research. With the news of the princess gone, all of the Twilight Province and even Hyrule was in chaos and I barely escaped with my life. As you can see, her form has drastically changed from its original, beautiful state. An experiment went wrong and…"

He trails off there, closing his eyes for a moment and releases a deep breath. The guards continue to hold onto the women and awkwardly await orders from their leader. From inside the cage, Link's ears are perked up while Midna hovers beside him; her red and yellow eye a mere slit and her fang pokes out of her mouth.

Straightening up and gazing down at Zelda solemnly, he says strongly, "Now you understand why I had you signed those contracts…and why I cannot let you go. I know you'll go running to the police as soon as you are released, even if I do return Oakwood to you like I promised. No harm will befall you as long as you and your companion do as I tell you to. Now, head down back to the lobby with the guards and remain there until I say otherwise."

The men tug lightly on the women but neither move, their feet planted into the ground. Zelda's mouth becomes a thin line and she remains completely still while Aryll gazes at her expectantly, waiting for some sort of clue as to what to do next.

While her countenance is as placid as lake water, Zelda's mind is spinning out of control vacillating between her options. The guards have deadly weapons that can kill in seconds but they haven't shot at her or Aryll, even when they were escaping. Therefore, they probably don't want to end their lives yet. Though if she pesters them it may set them off…

Her palms are sweating and her fingers shaking, her stony demeanor faltering under the risks she is facing with her next move. She attempts to calm her fluttering heart with deep breaths, ignoring the expectant stares burning into her. She needs to focus…to remember everything she has learned at those classes many years ago…

She lets herself truly _feel_ the man behind her, senses where his limbs are and if she can reach them. If the lessons she took are still with her, then she'll have no problem with this. And if not…well, the benefits if she succeeds will be worth the risk.

Still turbulent on the inside, she regains some of her courage and speaks in a voice as numbing as silent winter winds, "You may be true to your word but I am not condoning this torture."

And, with the suddenness and agility of a lion pouncing on its prey, Zelda swings her leg backwards and nails the guard in the below-the-belt area. The man doesn't relent but his grip lessens considerably, allowing her to spin around and uppercut his chin.

He stumbles back a few feet but Zelda wastes no time. Squatting low to the ground, she swings her leg in a wide arch and knocks his legs away, causing him to fall to the ground with a yelp.

Before he even gets a chance to do anything else, she lunges over to him and pounds her fist into his wrist. Involuntarily, the man's grip on his gun dies and Zelda snatches the weapon away from him.

All of that happens so fast that even Ganondorf is too stunned to move. From inside the prison, Link's and the Twilit's mouths hang open, their gazes glued onto the blonde woman as she awkwardly holds the large gun. Despite her swiftness in defeating her enemy, her blue eyes are wide as she stares at the weapon, gripping it tightly but her hands nowhere near the trigger.

Meanwhile, Aryll tries to squirm out of her guard's grip but he changes his hold to the much more efficient headlock. Realizing there isn't much she can do, she cries for help from Zelda while the man drags her towards the door.

The befallen guard that the secretary knocked down pushes himself off the ground and begins rushing towards Zelda but freezes the moment she swings the gun around to face him, her finger hovering by the trigger.

"Stop this madness!" Ganondorf suddenly yells but it does nothing to cease the chaos that seems ready to erupt any second. Link barks in the background and Aryll keeps throwing punches at her assailant while he groans in frustration at her resistance. Midna claws at the wall with her sharp nails, her voice being drowned out by Link's incessant barks.

"Just answer me one question," Zelda demands, glancing at Ganondorf out of the corner of her eye while still keeping the frozen guard in her view. "It's only you running this operation, correct?"

Ganondorf nods.

"And if that's the case," she continues, her eyes narrowing as the gears turn faster and faster in her head. "You have to pay for everything with your own money. This leaves you with a limited budget, which explains why you only have four guards and there were no locks on any of the doors in here. It also explains why the windows are so easily breakable that even a rock can shatter them. You must spend all of your money on science equipment, which means…"

She suddenly spins around so that the barrel of her gun is facing the glass wall that separates the Twilits and Link from her and Aryll.

Her breath hitches in her throat and her hands are so clammy that she thinks the gun will slip away. She knows what she has to do but it's easier said than done. What if she fails? It could be the end of so much…

_No!_ She scolds herself, taking a deep breath. _I only have a few more seconds before the guards react. It's now or never!_

Before any more words can be spoken, Zelda grits her teeth and sweat drips down her face as the muscles in her finger tightens. Thinking to herself, she repeats _I can do this…I can do this._ Then, with sheer willpower annihilating her fears, she pulls the trigger.

At that moment, everybody screams, even Zelda. The machine gun rockets out multiple bullets that smash into the glass, the sound of it cracking as piercing as nails on a chalkboard. Both guards dive towards the shooting woman while Link and the Twilits sprint to the back corner of the room. By the time the guards knock the gun out of her hands, the glass wall is already an intricate web of cracks. It's still for a moment, as if taking a deep breath, before it collapses to a thousand pieces with the terribleness of a child screaming, each shard falling to the ground ringing their ears.

Zelda collapses, the gun flying out of her hand as the men pin her down. The weight of them on her crushes her bones but it doesn't last long. Only seconds later and a blur of black and white flashes by her eyes, the weight of the guards disappearing with it. She hears the men shouting orders to each other, Ganondorf joining in with the yelling, but Link's perfectly pitched howl cuts through them all.

Instantly after that, the Twilight Princess flies towards her with the other Twilits hot on her heals, and Zelda prepares herself for the escape of a lifetime.

* * *

Author's Note

I have to admit, I'm not terribly proud of this one, but it's tough to tell what sounds good and what doesn't after reading the same lines over and over. That being said, I would love some feedback on what you think of this chapter – or the story in general – and questions or predictions you have, like what the heck is up with Ganondorf? He's got an odd personality huh? And I plan on doing a lot with Zant because he's a pretty funny guy. Well, that will be cleared up in the last two chapters (which are the next two).

The names Olathe and Tocho are Native American (because I'm partly Native American myself! :D) and Amadeus is Latin. Don't both looking up their meanings, I just needed some Twilit sounding names.

So even though I'm the worst person ever for rarely updating, I still love reviews and they motivate me to write more/faster! Even if you found nothing good with this chapter, let me know because I'll try fixing it in the upcoming ones!

Thank you!

~~Wave~~

No work cited for this one, there was no need for research. :(


	10. Chapter 10

Author's Note

Previously on Rivers Need Springs:

Ganondorf has tranquilized Link and wants to take him to a secret lab so that he can save him. Naturally, Zelda and Aryll are against it but realize they have no choice and join him to the laboratory. Ganondorf then takes Link up into a secret area of the building and leave Aryll and Zelda with two guards in the lobby. He puts Link in a prison cell where he meets the test subjects (all Twilits) Princess Midna who is deformed, Olathe who looks very ill along with her baby Amadeus, and Zant who has mental issues. With the help of Kaepora to distract the guards, Zelda and Aryll break into the other room where Link is being held and Ganondorf says that he is doing research for the sole purpose of science and that he accidentally kidnapped Midna. Zelda then breaks the prison with a gun.

And that's all you need to know for Rivers Need Springs.

As usual I apologize for the long time between updates. I have lame excuses but nobody wants to hear them so I'll start by simply thanking everybody who left awesome reviews last chapter that made me smile. So thank you very much **MythCreatorWriter, Canada Cowboy, Sparty the Bold, Lady Fai, Kattheamazing, Star Cyber 2, Mannie258, Romulus08, Legend of Zelda 4 Life, la generala, **and** Nyx The Last Keybearer. **I got to say, I loved all the super long reviews! Those are my favorite. ^_^ I also must give special thanks to **Sparty the Bold **and **MythCreatorWriter** for giving such excellent points I felt compelled to edit last chapter. I also want to thank my 100th reviewer, **Kattheamazing**! :DOver one hundred reviews and I am feeling fantastic! Thank you very much everybody and I bet you are tired of me saying thanks so I'll shut up now. (I really got to make these author's notes shorter.)

Here is the second to last chapter of RNS, enjoy!

~~Wave~~

Chapter Ten – Everybody Fears Fire Extinguishers

* * *

Tuesday

* * *

"Zelda! Are you okay?" Aryll questions frantically while she hoists her friend off the ground. It's alarming that either one of them can hear each other, let alone speak, with such pandemonium. Link is jumping around the two guards and is barking incessantly, his wolf body making him a rapid blur as he attempts to distract them. The men try to follow the hyper wolf while keeping an eye on everybody else at the same time. They're also looking towards their boss, Ganondorf, for an order as to what to do.

The man in question, however, has all his attention soaked up on one strange and brain damaged Twilit known as Zant. It's the first time that either woman has fully seen him and he is certainly a strange sight to behold. His wiry, light gray body is clothed in mere rags that can barely stay on him. His head is almost leaf-shaped: round at the chin and coming to a point at the top of his head with his greasy orange hair.

"What exactly is he doing?" Zelda gasps, her eyes following the Twilit's every move as he leaps and spins around Ganondorf, all the while yelling incoherent words. His eyes are a luminous yellow, no pupil or cornea, and his mouth is a void of saliva that connects to his lips like guitar strings.

"I don't have a clue," a new, bitter voice joins the conversation and the women turn their attention to the floating imp known as Princess Midna. Her crimson and gold eye is a mere slit, her steely gaze focused on Ganondorf, and her fang pokes through her scowl. Her fists are shaking by her side and her hair bristles. Beside her is Olathe who has such sickly white skin and hollow cheeks that Zelda is surprised she can even stand. For a moment they all watch as Zant jump around their enemy, his body undulating with the fluency of a snake. Ganondorf looks baffled and irritated at the Twilit's moves. His head snaps back and forth trying to follow Zant and, at a few times, lunges out to grab the man. His attempt is in vain, however, because Zant is surprisingly quick with his dodges. Zelda can only describe it as a beautiful, hypnotic, yet twisted dance.

"I've never seen him act like this before," Olathe mumbles softly to herself, her baby clenched in her arms and, even with all the commotion, Amadeus remains asleep.

Almost in a trance, none of them notice Midna's golden hair begin to tremble like a quivering child or the sudden fury that ignites in her strangely colored eyes. With the ferocity of a hissing cat, she yells over the commotion, "You disgusting, pathetic liar!" Ganondorf glances in her direction but Zant leaps past his face, tugging his attention in two different directions.

It's then, as the princess speaks, that everybody else notices her hair is morphing into a very odd shape. Before it was a mere ponytail but now it is arching up behind her enormous stone helm and looks nothing like hair anymore. White lines, similar to veins, surge up and down the "arm" of her weapon, while the end of it is a four-fingered hand that's larger than her oversized head and helm combined.

The only people who don't notice this are Link and the two guards he's still distracting. Everybody else, on the other hand, is either transfixed by Midna's "hair" or Zant's erratic dance.

"You didn't _accidentally_ take me!" The princess shouts, her body floating higher and the veins in her hair pulsing rapidly. "You planned the perfect kidnap because you wanted me specifically! You want the royal family's abilities and, during your pathetic tests, mistakenly made mine even more powerful!"

She hesitates, her snarl and fists dropping slightly in their intensity as Ganondorf's mouth falls open in shock at the sight of her hair in the shape of a hand. Midna's scowl then transforms into her signature smirk and her one eye snaps open, a new mischievous gleam in them that sends chills down Zelda's and Aryll's spines.

"I suppose I should thank you, shouldn't I?" The princess says slyly with a tinkling giggle that's as unnerving as nails on a chalkboard. "You look confused. Allow me to show you how much stronger my abilities are with your little mishap."

Her hair's hand suddenly springs towards the unwitting guards, twisting past Link's body and wrenching the men's guns away with the swiftness of a snake slithering on the forest floor. The guards cling to their weapon for a mere moment before the hand's strength swings them across the room, their bodies sliding on the tiled floor until they crash into a steel table. The hair's fingers crush the guns with ease, the sturdy metal now nothing more than dust drifting toward the ground.

The guards are now a groaning heap under a clutter of papers, allowing Link to rush over to his companions while the powerful golden hair wiggles back into its original shape. The small, _normal_ ponytail looks as if it never were an overly large hand, but Midna's face tells otherwise. Her eyes droop and her body sways dangerously to the right. If it weren't for Zant's awkward spinning, Ganondorf would have noticed her change in demeanor. Instead, Midna quickly glides over to Link and lands on his back. She sprawls her arms out to the side and releases a deep breath.

"_Are you okay?"_ Link thinks to himself, knowing she'll hear his thoughts. Her warm breath tickles the fur behind his ear and her helm digs uncomfortably into his shoulder.

"_I've been better_," she responds dryly. Even in thought she has the same snide tone yet it is full of exhaustion. "_The power I just used is draining…. I'm of no help to you until I have healed a bit. None of us are up to a battle and there are two other guards in the building to worry about. Although I'd love his face on a mantle we cannot fight Ganondorf. We need to leave now!"_

Link gives a curt nod and flicks his head to the direction of a door to his right, catching eyes with Zelda and hoping his gesture passes on the message. Nobody has gone through that door yet but, considering Ganondorf is blocking their original exit route, this new trail will have to do.

Even though Midna's heart is pounding in his sensitive ears and her breath is shallow, she manages to sit up straight and instruct to Zelda in a commanding voice, "We need to escape, Blondie, so get your friend and let's go."

Zelda blinks in confusion, either due to her new nickname or the fact that her friend, Aryll, is no longer beside her.

Spinning around, she sees the woman in question standing behind the guards as they struggle to stand up after their fall. Aryll's usually cute and innocent face is twisted to one of concentration as she lifts up a bright red fire extinguisher. Holding it like a baseball bat, the item rocking back and forth in her hands, she waits until the guards are at her eye level before swinging the fire extinguisher and smacking the one on the left with a terrible _smack_.

The impact is so powerful the man doesn't even have a chance to scream as his head bangs into his partner. The first man to be struck is already unconscious before his head even hits the floor while the other tumbles away, his hands cradling his face.

Breathing heavily and her heart pounding even louder than Midna's, Aryll manages to swing the fire extinguisher one last time. It slams into his head, knocking him senseless to the floor, as the item flies out of her sweaty hands.

Link's howl and victory jump immediately follows, his mouth stretched into a wide smile and his tail wagging back and forth. Aryll looks towards the group with startled azure eyes as her chest rises up and down rapidly from her heavy breathing. She looks speechless and terrified but the sight of her brother's happiness, Midna's approving smirk, and Zelda's dumbfounded face lifts her spirits up just enough for her to grin back.

"Get away from me you stupid Twilit!" Ganondorf's enraged cry instantly destroys the respite as he smacks the dancing Zant away. With a high-pitched moan, the Twilit stumbles backwards. He's quick to regain his balance but, instead of attacking, he begins swishing his hips back and forth as his long neck bobs up and down. Nobody knows what in the world he's doing but Aryll's not wasting anytime.

"Come on!" She cries and sprints toward Zant, grabbing his hand and yanking him forward as she keeps running towards the exit that everybody else is near. Either working it out for herself or overhearing their previous conversation, Aryll manages to understand the need for a quick escape and is out the door before anybody else.

"Don't think you'll get away so easily!" Ganondorf's threat rings in their ears as they all dash outside into a dark hallway, the door slamming behind them and cutting off his yell.

Not one of them breaks stride as they begin blindly running down the hallway. The darkness is only a hazard to Aryll and Zelda since everybody else has the ability to see in pitch-black lighting. This only proves to be a problem because Aryll is the one in lead. It doesn't take long before she runs head first into a wall.

"GODDESSES THAT HURTS! OW, OW, OW!" She screams, clutching her forehead and nose as she hops around in a little circle with her eyes squeezed tight.

"Wow you humans are strange," Midna comments as the rest of the team halts, their chests rising heavily with the intensity and burst of energy. It's a mystery to Midna and Olathe as to why Zant didn't attack Aryll when she practically dragged him out of the room. He's always tried to bite anybody even for just being near him, let alone forcing him to sprint. Then again, his entire being is a mystery.

"Sorry if it hurts!" Aryll retorts, still cradling her face and tears build up in her eyes from the impact.

"Try not to be so loud," Zelda whispers fearfully. "Even though Ganondorf is right on our tail we still have two other guards to worry about and we have no idea where we are! We need to get moving quickly."

Link flicks his ears back and forth in an attempt to listen for approaching foes but nothing comes to him. Besides their panting and drumming hearts, the place is dead silent.

Midna picks up on his train of thought and voices it to the group in a musing tone, "Nobody is pursuing us…yet. Let's try to get out of here as quick as possible. Ganondorf might not be following us for a reason so keep your guard up. Blondie, be ready to whip out those kung fu skills if we need them and – oh Goddesses, what is Zant doing?"

All eyes turn to the strange Twilit, even Aryll has stopped squirming in pain to see Zant, whose moans begin to echo throughout the room as he starts to spin slowly on one foot like a ballerina dancer. His hands are together in front of his chest and his rags flap wildly with each turn he makes.

"Zant…" Olathe whispers in a motherly tone and she takes a hesitant step towards him. "Please stop, Zant. Please stop dancing and moaning."

He shows no sign of responding and, after a moment, Aryll offers with a shrug, "Maybe he'll follow once we start moving. Let's go quick…this hallway is creepy."

Though Midna and Olathe look doubtful, they let Link lead the group with Zelda and Aryll right beside him. They walk slowly and as silently as possible though each soft footstep is blaring to Link's sensitive ear. Zelda's constant questions don't help keep their secrecy either.

"What did you mean back there…er, princess? You said Ganondorf didn't take you accidentally."

"Exactly what I said," she replies in a relaxed voice from his back. "He kidnapped me purposely."

"But why?" Zelda persists. "And how? Surely the princess would be heavily guarded."

At this Midna's tone becomes sourer and, though at first it had bothered him, the questions are intriguing and Link finds himself hanging on her every word. His mouth twitches up to a smile. In their short time apart, he had missed her inquisitive manner.

A light _thud_ sounds from behind them and everybody freezes, their muscles tightening and they hold their breath. For thirty seconds they stay that way until Midna speaks again in a quieter tone and everybody else moves again, a bit quicker this time.

"Ganondorf is performing illegal tests in the capital of Hyrule and manages to be a government worker. As you are already aware of, he's a sneaky, disgusting rat so it wasn't hard for him to get to me. It also helped that he was already staying in the Twilight Palace."

"Why was he there?" Zelda asks instantly and Midna rolls her eyes.

"You're certainly full of questions, aren't you, Blondie?"

Zelda frowns but keeps her comments to herself.

With an exasperated sigh, she confesses," Ganondorf received one of the highest awards that can be given by a Twilit: the Twilight Province Peace Prize. It's an award only given to those who diligently kept up the pursuit to end racism between Hylians and Twilits."

"Wait," Aryll cuts in. "Are we still talking about the same guy who made you…um…deformed?"

With a stoic expression, Midna nods.

"Ganondorf was praised throughout all of the Twilight Province," Olathe joins the conversation, her voice as weak as her stick-thin legs. Her red eyes tremble involuntarily while Amadeus remains asleep in her arms. "Everybody loved him but then one day…he just turned on us."

"Of course nobody knows Ganondorf is racist," Midna snarls while Zelda slowly pushes the door to the stairwell open. It makes a tiny creek but is otherwise silent. "They still think of him as a hero."

"Don't worry, we'll get this right," Aryll states optimistically, a small smile on her face though her hands are trembling. "Once we get out of here –which we will – we'll give you guys justice."

Midna falls silent at that and everybody else follows her move. With Aryll and Zelda clutching Link's shoulder for guidance, they begin a very gradual descent down, being extra cautious. Every little noise makes them flinch and their muscles tighten. Their trip takes even longer, however, when Zant decides that it's necessary to rock on his heels ten times before taking a step down and then repeating the process all over again for every step. All the while he's moaning, his orange eyes gazing out into nothing while everybody else's hearts are beating so wildly that it just becomes a constant hum to Link.

And though they are terrified at the aspect of Ganondorf or one of his goons busting in at any moment, Link cannot help but feel relief to have Aryll and Zelda by his side. If it weren't for them he'd still be trapped in that prison. Right now all he wants to do is shower them with presents representing his appreciation, like a car for Aryll or a big book of random facts for Zelda. Thinking wistfully, Link wonders if they'll keep in touch if their life ever settles down. He wouldn't mind her company; perhaps they could go to that restaurant Marth had wanted to take her…

Only halfway down the stairwell, Link's drifting thoughts fade away when Zelda can't help but ask Midna another question. "So…he was testing you for your abilities?" She clarifies but hints that she wants more information.

Sighing, Midna whispers in response, "It is said that the royal family of Twilight has special abilities that Hylians don't. Ganondorf wants these 'powers,' but my meager strength wasn't enough for him. He tried enhancing my abilities so that later he could take them for his own. Obviously, it backfired on him when I destroyed his guard's guns."

At this Midna smirks but Zelda keeps her usual stone demeanor and continues, "Then why does he want Zant, Olathe, and Amadeus?"

Midna and Olathe share a glance and then both shrug their shoulders.

"I am not sure," Olathe responds timidly as Zant's moan fills the room. "Why does he want a Blue Eyed Beast too? All I know is that he killed my husband and threatens all of us. He must be stopped."

Zelda opens her mouth to speak but Midna's sudden hiss demands silence. They then notice that Link's head is raised and his ears are perked up. He twitches them twice before swinging his head around to look at the princess on his back. They lock eyes for a moment, their thoughts joining together through an ancient bond.

"Quick everybody!" Midna suddenly orders in a whisper. "The two guards are walking this way. They'll be coming in at the bottom of the stairwell. With all of us I think we can over power them –"

"We are in no condition to fight, your highness!" Olathe objects, the thought of attacking making her voice rise in pitch.

"We can go back up and hide in that hallway. If they come up we'll have to resort to –," Zelda begins to explain but Midna cuts her off with another hiss, Link already dashing back up the stairs.

"No time! They're running now, so let's just go upstairs!" Midna orders, apparently having changed her mind.

Without another word everybody but Zant begins sprinting up the way they came down. Aryll latches onto Zant's hand and tugs him to follow but he holds his ground.

"Come on!" She whispers urgently, yanking at his arm to move. "Let's go!"

From the top of the stairwell, Link tries to communicate with his sister but accidentally barks, forgetting that he can't speak words. The loud noise only makes the guards run faster and a second later the door at the bottom of the stairwell swings open, the _bang_ sounding like a gunshot to their ears.

"There they are!" One guard yells while the other is sprinting up the steps.

"Move!" Aryll pleads, her heart tightening like a violin's string and palms sweating. Zant's face remains emotionless and, with his series of rocks complete, he actually hops down another step closer to the enemy.

"Run!" Olathe cries suddenly from right next to the young Hylian, seeming to appear out of nowhere. With alarming strength, she grabs onto Aryll's arm and swings her around up the stairs. The woman tumbles but follows the order, sprinting away and through the open door that Zelda holds open.

The Twilit woman goes to run as well but the guards are upon her in seconds. One latches onto her waist while the other yanks Amadeus out of her arms by gripping his foot. For the first time the baby opens his milky white eyes, the color more ill-appearing than his ivory skin, and starts to cry like a true baby. His face scrunches up as he wails endlessly, his cheeks turning pink in almost an instant and snot dripping out of his flat nose.

At the same time Zant suddenly decides that _now _is the moment to run and, with a battle cry-like moan, he flies up the stairs, out the open door, and into the shadowy hallway in less than a second.

"Let them go!" Midna shouts over the baby's scream as she soars off of Link's back and towards the attackers.

"My baby! Amadeus!" Olathe cries, hot tears pouring down her face as she claws at the guards with newfound vigor. Her previous reserved manner disappears and her red eyes are alight with a burning rage.

For Link and Zelda it is pure chaos. Midna and Olathe are both scratching at their enemies while Amadeus screams at the top of his lungs, somehow ending up on the ground. Zelda is debating on a clever way of escape while Link's muscles tighten to pounce into battle.

Before either of them can do anything, however, a heart stopping _bang_ overpowers the rest of the clamor. Complete silence befalls the room instantly, the stillness so heavy it is like a stone to their hearts. Nobody moves as they watch a limp, ivory body slowly fall away from the guards and roll down the steps one at a time; a fragile leaf being blown in the winter wind, tumbling through the air until it lands on the frozen ground without a sound. And then it lies there, unmoving and breathless with the world around it hushed, staring at a little leaf whose only wish was to survive the winter on a strong oak tree where troubles could never touch it.

The unaffected guards turn away from the body and point their guns at the remaining people who don't even notice the danger that they're in. Zelda's body is numb, her knees feeling like they're about to give away any second, while Link's throat chokes up. His heart swells in agony as his blurry eyes follow a thin trail of red drops down the steps until the crimson splatters mix into a growing pool of blood that surrounds Olathe's inert body. Her eyes are wide open, staring up into nothing, and her mouth is parted just a bit as if she is struggling to mutter a word.

There is a chill about the room, like frozen winter swept in and blew away warm summer. And it's dark…the only light appears to be the white of Olathe's skin. But it's fading fast, faster than a cloud drifting over the moon and hiding its beauty.

"What have you done…?" Midna asks in an almost inaudible whisper, her lip quivering and her arms hanging by her side. Every syllable she utters is strained with sorrow and she blinks slowly, each time making her one red eye more watery than before.

Then, as quick as a bullet ends a life, Midna's face twists into one of pure loathing. Her spiked teeth are clenched and her eye is a burning bright crimson. Without a word her hair springs into its hand shape and surges towards the guards. The men don't even have a chance to cry out as the fingers clench around their throats and suspend them in the air. The hand tightens around their necks and they let out sickening choking sounds, their eyes practically bulging out of their sockets, before the hand's strength lessens and their bodies fall limp.

The guards are held in the air for another moment with Midna's heavy breathing the only noise in the room. After a few seconds has passed, her hair wiggles back into its usual shape and the men collapse to the ground with a dull _thud_.

Zelda falls to her knees beside Link, her arms wrapping around his neck as she leans into him. He feels her tears dripping on his fur and her body shudders. Nobody thought this day would be full of such anguish and loss, and now it is here and they are consumed by the unexpected and traumatizing death of a loved one.

They had all been skiing down a double black diamond, barely in control. Nobody knew how close they were to the cliff until it was too late.

* * *

Once the guards were done with, Midna's furious sorrow transformed into chilling seriousness and she seemed more imperturbable than Zelda ever was. With the authority of a queen, she instructed that they would hunt Ganondorf down, looking for Zant and Aryll along the way. Link and Zelda were too shaken after Olathe's death for either of them to protest to the imp's plan, which consisted of wandering around the building and hoping that they'd stumble upon a scent or sound for Link to track. Zelda was also busy trying to calm Amadeus with sweet whispers but it wasn't too difficult. It seems all his energy was used up crying in those short moments before his mother's death.

They retraced their steps to the room where Link and the Twilits had been imprisoned. Nobody was there but they did get Ganondorf's scent. After that it had been easy to follow the man's trail to a steel door on the first floor.

Now they all wait outside it, peering through the opening down a narrow staircase that continues around a corner. The room and its contents are hidden from view but Link is positive Ganondorf is in there; he can hear his incoherent grumbles of frustration.

_Why do you think he's in the basement?_ Link questions, glancing towards Midna. It's the first time anybody has spoken in a while – well, "spoken."

She hovers beside him with an emotionless countenance. From behind her, Zelda has just as much composure. It's creepy how calm they can act at a time like this.

Without taking her crimson eye of the door, Midna whispers back, "I'm not sure. I've never been down there."

"It might be a trap," Zelda adds softly, her ice-cold eyes lingering on Link's as her fingers entwine themselves in his fur, her other arm cradling the sleeping baby. Despite the intensity of the moment, he finds the warmth of her hand and mere presence a little bit comforting, but not enough to take his worried thoughts away from Aryll. Quietly, she continues, "If he had confidence that the guards would stop us then he might be staying out of the way or getting more weapons. If he was dubious in his workers' skill and felt we would escape then he might be preparing to flee…. But for all we know there could be a whole other lab down there."

Midna gives a small nod then states, "We'll go down there and confront him. I'll deal with him while you two look for Zant and your friend. They might be down there too."

"It could be a trap," Zelda repeats quickly and a bit louder, her eyebrows creasing with concern.

Midna turns to her and sends her a chilling glare. "He has killed too many. With all of us combined we can take him - "

"Maybe but we can't take that chance. There could be other guards with him and he could be waiting for us."

"For all the three years I've been here I have only seen those four guards, two of which are dead and the others will be out cold for a few more hours at the least," Midna retorts hotly, her red eye narrowing. "If you want to back out, Blondie, that's fine, but I'm going down no matter what."

The imp begins floating down the stairwell without another word. Link and Zelda exchange nervous glances before both looking down at Amadeus. For a moment they debate on leaving the baby in the hallway but keeping him unattended doesn't sound so smart either. After a second of hesitation they begin to follow Midna with Amadeus in Zelda's arms and twisted stomachs of dread. Paws trembling, they turn the corner and the room becomes visible.

It's vast, probably taking up the entire underground floor; however, space to move around is limited. Every bit of it is cramped with jumbles of machinery and wooden crates except for a small area where they currently stand, the clearing stretching out for only a few meters. The dim lighting casts most of them in heavy shadows but Link manages to define some hazy details. He sees huge metal barrels - similar to the ones on war tanks - protruding from the mass of objects and tangles of wires spewing over other items like stringy clumped hair. Link's breath then hitches as his gaze passes the word "EXPLOSIVES" written across a large crate. What exactly is going on here?

From beside him Zelda's grip on his shoulder tightens. He glances up at her to see her face unnaturally pale and her skin glistening with sweat. Following her gaze, he notices another person standing across the room in one of the only places that isn't covered by machinery. Even though he is cast in darkness, it isn't difficult to make out his flaming red hair and large build. His cologne drifts over to Link's nose. There is no mistake here that this man is Ganondorf.

And in his hand is a gun.

Midna hovers a bit closer to their enemy, the space between about twenty yards, and he takes a few steps forward as well. Surprisingly, Midna hasn't yet clawed the man to death. A scowl doesn't even distort her already deformed head as she sends a venomous glare at Ganondorf. Zelda, on the other hand, is focusing on the weapon held in his meaty hand.

She feels her stomach flip at the sight of it and her mind boggles up with confusion and betrayal. Although she never considered them friends, she didn't imagine he'd take such a terrible turn for the worst. If what Midna said is true, then why would he go from helping Twilits to wanting to kill them?

"What happened, Ganondorf?" Zelda suddenly breaks the tense silence with her strong tone, somehow finding her voice in such a foreboding place. She tightens her cradle around Amadeus as Ganondorf's empty gaze falls on her. His face is blank and his shoulders slumped, the weapon held loosely in his hand.

When he speaks his voice is surprisingly softer than everybody had expected. It's borderline emotionless and only Zelda seems to detect the hint of despair in his tone as he admits, "I'm sure the imp has told you how I have _fallen from grace_, as you might say? You've seen my weapons…and I don't care anymore."

His mouth drops to a frown and he takes a deep breath. The lighting is dramatic, making every one of his wrinkles more prominent than before, showing the true age in his face. His body is so massive that his lab coat clings to him, yet his dejected stance gives him a less intimidating presence. His dull yellow eyes droop and, for the first time, Zelda views him as a disconsolate, lonely old man. She's even close to say that he appears ill, but that reminds her too much of her father.

"Nobody knows this…" Ganondorf says in a steady voice despite his apparent sorrow. "But I had a son. I wasn't his biological father though that didn't matter. Neither did the fact that we were of different races. He was an orphan Twilit and I a Hylian."

He releases a deep sigh, his whole body practically deflating and melancholy etching into his features. It isn't until this moment that Link and Zelda realize they had been holding their breath for the past minute and, shakily, they breathe again but it does nothing to steady their nerves.

"For years we were happy together," Ganondorf continues, his eyes cast to the floor but his tone still strong. "I taught him everything I knew: that he should love all people, no matter what race they are, and to be polite even to your enemies. One day we traveled to the Twilight Province for a diversity rally, as we often did, and the night after the event…."

Ganondorf hesitates, his voice finally faulting and the breath hitches in his throat Link shifts his weight from paw to paw, feeling a bit awkward at this new piece of information…or is it a lie? Before any more thoughts on this matter can form, the man continues in a grave voice, "I had defended the Twilits against racism for years but they did not thank me. No, they did the complete opposite…. The night after the rally I was sleeping when the sound of a gun tore me awake. I remember forgetting all possible danger and rushing to my son's room, stumbling over everything in the dark. I flung open the door and went to flick on the light but froze. It wasn't needed. The moonlight flowing through the window glistened off his bloodstained chest and showed me his motionless face. I walked over to find him unmoving on his bed…dark red liquid staining his sheets. There was a bullet lodged in his chest. He was dead before I could even reach him.

"In all my fury I chased after his killer and demanded answers. The culprit was a Twilit and he confessed that he didn't mean to kill him, he wanted me dead instead. In the darkness and intensity of the moment he shot the wrong person…. He thought I didn't deserve to be in the presence of a Twilit boy because I was a filthy Hylian. It was because of my race that the enemy wanted my life…and it's the reason why he murdered the only person I have ever loved."

Midna nods and explains in a monotone voice, "I remember the trial of that little boy, so I guess your story is true. The murderer was found guilty, by the way."

Ganondorf doesn't respond and Midna's and his truthful words suspend in their minds like the distant echoing of a bell. Zelda's heart aches at his story, recalling the same feelings of agony she had when her father passed on. She remembers holding his hand and sobbing for hours on end, wishing she had many things that would show her love for him. Were these the same possible feelings that Ganondorf had at his son's death? Is this what he is doing now? Regretting that he ever brought the boy to the rally in the first place, or even into his life? For a man who has killed many, Zelda cannot help but feel a painful connection between them.

Ganondorf's head is bent towards the ground, the darkness draping his face in shadows, and his body is inert. The room has an odd silence to it, as if somebody is holding their breath, and when the man speaks again it abruptly breaks the stillness.

"Do you understand now?" He questions, his voice controlled but laced with bottled up fury. "I'm telling you this because I cannot end your lives without a proper explanation. My son's killer was truthful to me…I should be truthful to you."

"_He's emotionally unstable right now,_" Midna suddenly whispers into Link's mind. Her tone is fretful but when he looks at her face it is unmoving and her eyes are calculating as they stare at their enemy. He waits for more but she mentions nothing else.

Ganondorf raises his head again and the only difference in his expression is that his eyes are a little watery, an observation so shocking to both Link and Zelda that their mouths fall open. When he speaks again, however, it's with the same intimidating control as he has always had.

"Midna might have figured out what I was testing her for, but I'll tell you anyways. Twilits aren't magical creatures – nothing is – because science destroys those wistful thoughts of magic into reasonable knowledge. I wanted that knowledge to create my own and even more powerful abilities by taking the ones from hers and the others. Unfortunately for me, only she had the special powers I was looking for. Originally the project was for the sole purpose of science and so I could redeem myself after an event years ago. It wasn't until much later that I realized it was something more."

Link gulps and Zelda stretches her fingers, both of them staring at Ganondorf with wide eyes as he finishes his story.

"Accidentally, I enhanced the imp's skills, which resulted in a mutation, but that did not delay my plans. Once I learned how to inject these abilities into other people, an idea was planted in my mind and grew more and more with each passing day. I could create the world's strongest army. Look around you, tell me you have not noticed the abundance of weapons? With my troops and these tools, I could destroy whole groups of people. It was then that I found the real reason for my experiments."

Zelda feels her limbs go numb – it's a miracle that the baby is even still in her hands – while Link's breathing becomes rapid and shaky. Somehow, through all the terrifying fog in her brain, she manages to realize how disturbing it is to have worked with a man who even considers the potential damage his tools can do.

"A genocide," Midna states dryly, nowhere near showing the same dread that Link and Zelda have. Crossing her arms and frowning, she continues mockingly, "So you plan to avenge your son by killing his entire race? Yeah, that makes sense."

Ganondorf sneers at her and retorts, "It makes as much sense as trying to kill me because I'm Hylian! We'd all be better off if there was only one race."

By now Zelda is utterly horrified. Her palms are sweaty as she clutches the baby and her mouth has run dry. Unwittingly they have stumbled upon something much more dangerous than they had originally thought, which is saying a lot. For three years Ganondorf must have been working on his plan for genocide and, judging by these weapons, she'd say he's close to starting it. All he needs now is…

"Troops," she mumbles but everybody hears it; her voice must have carried more than she imagined. Lifting her head up and focusing on Ganondorf's beady yellow eyes, blood rushing through her head but voice as steady as always, she reasons, "You need troops, Hylians most likely, to attack the Twilits. That's why you sent the fake government workers. Whether or not they did find Link, you were going to take Aryll and I to become test subjects. That…t-that was your plan all along."

Ganondorf nods and admits, "You're quicker than I thought, which is why I cannot let you leave this building alive."

The truth shakes her to the bones. It isn't just the fact that they were extremely close to becoming test subjects and possibly falling to the ill fate as their comrades, but everything else too. Ganondorf's story has shed light on many questions but it disturbs her more than relieves her. The death was unfair and probably an extremely agonizing time for the man, but his sorrow has taken over his life. No sane person would plan genocide because one idiot made a mistake. That can only mean one thing: Ganondorf is insane.

Her thoughts had distracted Zelda from the main threat, which happens to be their foe raising a gun and the old rage returning to his golden eyes. The barrel of his weapon is pointed at Midna but she doesn't move an inch.

"You have caused too much trouble for me to keep you alive," Ganondorf growls, his finger tightening on the trigger. He is no longer the weak old man that Zelda saw before, now that his face is twisted into one of pure malice. Eyebrows furrowed together and mouth pulled into a scowl, he accuses hotly, "Maybe if you had done your job better my son would still be alive!"

A terribly familiar _bang_ erupts and rings in everybody's ears. With incredible speed, Midna soars upward just as the bullet passes and embodies itself in a crate behind her. Another gunshot is heard right afterwards and the imp dives out of the way. The princess then begins flying in circles, Ganondorf tracing her every move with the gun. His shadowed face is twisted into one of desperation and fury, his golden eyes gleaming with the same sense of danger as a knife's blade catching the light.

Although Link's unsure as to what to do, he feels his sharp teeth clenching together and adrenaline rushing through his body. There is another side of him, one that's ready to sprint to Ganondorf and rip his throat out.

But right before he's about to dash, he hears a strange yet familiar moan sounding from across the room. Link only listens to it for a second when a flash of red appears out of nowhere and slams into Ganondorf's hand. The assaulted man releases a cry of agony as the gun spins out of his hand, the weapon landing in the ruble beside him. He stumbles backwards, clutching his hands, and glares at his attacker. The assailant has blond hair pulled back into two messy pigtails and her grip on the fire extinguisher is so tight her knuckles are white. Her cobalt eyes, so similar to Link's, are alit with intensity.

"And you can suck it, Ganondorf!" She suddenly yells with a crooked grin, staring at the man triumphantly and holding her fire extinguisher at the ready like it's a baseball bat.

Her odd comment stuns Link momentarily, but then his mouth stretches into a wide smile and he joyfully barks three times. His tongue hangs out of his mouth he feels a great loud of horror lifting away at the sight of his sister. Even Zelda lets out a small smile, which grows when she spies another form coming out of the darkness.

This newcomer is the source of the moan. His ochre eyes are as dazed as ever and his mouth is wide open, the strings of saliva between his lips shaking with his groans.

"Zant!" Midna exclaims in warning as Ganondorf spins on his heels and slaps the Twilit across the face. Without a sound Zant falls to the ground in a heap of rags, his moan cut short.

Before anybody else can move, Aryll is already upon their enemy. Furious, she swings her fire extinguisher at his chest but Ganondorf is ready this time. With his meaty hand he grabs hold of the weapon and snatches it away from her. In one fluid motion he wraps his humongous arm around her neck and whips out another gun from his pocket, cocking it and aiming it at her temple in seconds.

Link's body freezes, all the adrenaline leaving as fast as heat when walking out into the first day of winter. Chills run up his spine, which is followed by a burning sensation of fury and desperation in his heart, and his claws dig into the hard floor anxiously.

Thankfully, Midna was already on her way towards their opponent before Aryll even swung her weapon. She's over there so fast that Ganondorf doesn't have a chance to collect his bearings and pull the trigger before she's upon him. The imp latches onto his arm and sinks her teeth into his hand, the gun dropping to the floor as he lets out an agonizing and disgusted cry. Unfortunately, Aryll is still trapped in his headlock but she does manage to kick the gun a good distance away.

"We need to get out of here as soon as possible!" Zelda hurriedly whispers to Link with wide eyes. "Ganondorf has a land of weapons at his disposal…this is right where he wants us! I'll get Aryll and you go grab Zant."

Although Link has no idea how he is going to drag the unmoving Twilit without any hands, he nods nevertheless and begins sprinting over towards the fallen comrade. As he does so, Ganondorf bellows, "Get off me you pathetic creature!" A _slap_ instantly follows and Midna tumbles through the air, skidding across the floor when she lands.

Link reaches Zant and worries that the Twilit actually died from one hit, but then he hears his reassuring heartbeat. The guy is just being weird again.

He is bending over and sinking his teeth into a cluster of rags when he hears somebody call out from behind, "Link! Look out!"

There is a sudden stinging pain in his neck that surges throughout the rest of his body like lava burning his insides. His heart pounds once against his chest before it stops all together, his throat tightening and the blood rushing into his head. He tries to breathe but to no avail and the world goes silent. Vision blurry, he struggles to move but comes to the horrible realization that his body has stopped responding.

"Link!" Zelda cries out, sprinting over with Amadeus still sound asleep in her arms. She rushes right past Ganondorf, who is standing aside with a syringe clutched in his meaty hand, and kneels beside her stunned friend. Aryll lies sprawled out on the floor, oblivious to her brother's welfare. When Ganondorf had lunged out to attack Link, she had been pushed to the ground.

Link lies still on his side, his cobalt eyes wider than an owl's and his mouth limply hanging open. With her free hand, Zelda pushes two fingers into his neck and feels for a pulse. She holds it there for exactly twelve seconds before feeling a very light _thump_.

"I had stabilized him," Ganondorf announces with a hint of satisfaction. "But that is ruined now. I have injected him with a large dose of Hylian blood and a little something extra. He will turn human and, when he does, the Crepusculumcytes won't hesitate to attack his heart. He'll have only two minutes to live."

"That's interesting," Midna's surprisingly sly voice muses from across the room, causing all attention to turn to her floating form. Her red eye is steely and her mouth is tugged up into a small smirk. Most importantly, however, is the gun in her tiny hand with its barrel pointing at Ganondorf's chest. Smirking, she says, "You and him both have something in common…you only have moments to live too."

Ganondorf's teeth clench together and he quickly shouts out, "Yet who will save him if you kill me? Face it, I'm your only hope for survival."

From beside him, Zelda frantically scans the room for anything that might prove useful to stabilize Link's life. If what Ganondorf says is true, then it won't be long until his heart is overcome with Crepusculumcytes. What can possibly suspend his doom?

"I'm not falling for those tricks," Midna retorts but, before she can continue, Ganondorf yells almost desperately,

"Don't deny it! There is nobody else here who can save him, and the baby too! The thing's practically already dead!"

For the first time Zelda takes account into Amadeus' welfare and notices he's not breathing. Fingers shaking, she feels for a pulse and receives something lighter than a butterfly's wings. He's alive but barely.

Her breathing becomes shallow and her entire body is shaking. _I don't know what to do!_ She thinks frantically to herself, glancing between Link's unmoving form and Amadeus' sleeping body. _All I know is that rice plants sometimes have 55,000 genes. How does that help me?_

"He has probably a day left of life…tops," Ganondorf explains bitterly as Midna floats closer to him, gun still at the ready. He opens his mouth to say more but is cut short when a familiar white flash engulfs the room. It lasts for less than a second and is instantly followed by terrible cries of agony.

When the flash is cleared, everybody turns their eyes to the source of the horrible screaming, which happens to be the human version of Link. His naked body is scrunched up in a ball and his hands are clutching his golden hair, his cries of pain stabbing into their ears like needles as tears stream from his eyes.

Brain working overtime, Zelda snatches a discarded lab coat off the ground and throws it over him. She places Amadeus down and tries to pry Link's hands away from his head. Just like the last time this occurred Link lashes out at her when she tries to touch him.

One minute and fifty seconds left.

"Help me!" Zelda cries out desperately, spinning her head around to look at Ganondorf, only to find the end of a gun pointing right at her.

Her body freezes at the sight of it and her heart skips a beat. Glancing around, she notices Midna's annoyed snarl and Ganondorf's triumphant sneer. He must have whipped the weapon out during the flash.

"Only I can help him now, but there is no point in me doing so," Ganondorf announces. "I have what I want from him, he can die for all I care."

"What do you want?" She questions, her heart racing with each second passing and every agonizing scream Link releases behind her. The torture in them is as horrifying as the first time, his cries making it seem like a hundred blades are stabbing his gut and then turning in circles.

One minute and twenty-eight seconds left.

"Not to be killed of course!" He retorts, glancing somewhat fearfully at Midna for a second. His hands are shaking and his golden eyes twitch every few seconds. While he speaks his tongue finds itself licking his lips like a lizard and he explains while panting, "And I need all of you either trapped or dead. You cannot stop me! I will destroy al the Twilits, even if it takes innocent lives. It's for the greater good! The greater good that someday…"

By now Zelda has tuned out of Ganondorf's maniac rant and looks around the room. Aryll has been left unnoticed by their enemy and is currently rummaging through boxes, probably searching for something to save Link or another gun. If Ganondorf is as smart as he claims to be, he'd have taken away all of them as soon as he got down here.

Glancing past Ganondorf and biting her lip in anticipation, she sees a hazy figure steadily growing larger and larger in the darkness. At first he was cast in shadows but, once she sees the glowing orange eyes and saliva filled mouth, she knows it is Zant.

And in his hands is a fire extinguisher.

With incredible speed and a powerful battle cry, the Twilit swings back the item and smashes it against Ganondorf's head. The sickening _crack_ that follows is so loud it can be heard even over Link's incessant screaming.

Ganondorf's eyes close instantly and he releases a pained groan as his body sways forward. Zelda's gaze is locked onto his finger, which happens to be pulling back on the trigger very, very slowly…

Another gunshot and her terrified scream echoes off the basement's walls, overpowering Link's blood-curdling yells for only a moment.

"Zelda!" Aryll cries out desperately, ready to rush over when she notices that her friend shows no sign of pain. Her arms are wrapped around her, as if trying to make herself smaller, and her wide eyes are staring at a bullet embedded into the floor beside her.

Aryll's body slumps with relief and a heavy _thud_ is heard as Ganondorf's massive body flops to the ground, the gun falling out of his hand and clanging onto the floor. Everybody stares at his unmoving body and, for a moment, Zelda thinks she sees blood on the back of his blazing red hair but the colors are too similar for her to tell. Nobody moves for a good ten seconds, all waiting to see if the man will spring back up to attack. Did the blow kill him? Zelda knows it is unlikely but the option still weighs heavily on their mind.

They then turn their gazes to Zant, who is now swinging the fire extinguisher back and forth like it is a conductor's baton. The widest smile is plastered onto his pale face and there is a spark of joy in his orange eyes as he hops from foot to foot. The briefly calm atmosphere doesn't last long though. Link releases another terrible cry that turns into chocking sobs. He rolls onto his back and clutches his chest, scratching at it as if he's struggling to break through and rip his heart out. His watery cobalt eyes open just a little bit for him to gaze with utter despair at Zelda.

"Link," She breathes, turning back around and resting a hand on his shoulder as his chest rises up and down heavily. His body is shaking and his right leg jerks as his back arches as if somebody is trying to lift him with a suction cup. In order to hold back his screams he has to bite down on his mouth so hard that dark red blood is spilling out of his cracked lips and slides down his cheeks, mixing with his hot tears.

Midna and Aryll rush over while Zant continues to enjoy his victory off to the side. Link's sister grabs his hands and they lock eyes for a moment, both of their gazes passing on hopeless messages.

Forty-eight seconds left.

"I-I don't know what to do!" Zelda confesses as her body trembles, looking back and forth between her companions through her watery eyes. She wants to help but doesn't have a clue as to what to do. She never went to medical school, not even a good college. She's just a secretary! What can somebody like her possibly do?

Feeling the most pathetic she has ever felt in her life, she clutches his hand and chokes on a sob. She knows she needs to be strong for Aryll and him but it seems impossible right now. All she can think about, strangely enough, is when she yelled at him for eavesdropping on her phone call with Marth. Although he was at fault, she wishes she could go back there and avoid that mess in the first place.

Blinking away tears, she wracks her brain and searches through all those random bits of information. Surely there is something!

Releasing a shuddering breath, she rolls Link onto his side and explains rapidly as she remembers some key facts about seizures (even though he isn't technically having one but the symptoms are similar), "We need to keep him this way in order to prevent aspiration…and don't try restraining him or else it might trigger aggression."

"We have to take him to the hospital!" Aryll cuts in shakily, a tear sliding down her red cheek. Link's nostrils flare and more blood leaks out of his mouth. The only hint of a scream is the groan rumbling in his throat and his hands squeezing Aryll's so tight he thinks he might break her fingers.

Midna shakes her head vigorously as she hovers above them. "He won't make it in time! I…I have another idea but it's…" she trails off for a second, her tone anxious as her fingers drum against her stubby leg. Link opens his mouth for a moment and a choking sob comes out before a sharp groan follows, along with a few more drops of dark crimson blood. He takes a deep breath before shutting it again as his body shudders and his leg kicks out.

"Well it's all we've got, what is it?" Zelda questions. Link tries to look her way but his eyes won't open due to the overwhelming burning pain in his chest.

"Ganondorf was right when he said Amadeus doesn't have long to live!" Midna answers rapidly, her words stringing together "It's hard to explain and it may or may not work. Luckily I saved most of my energy for an emergency situation, which this appears to be. I – oh never mind! Move out of the way!"

Giving up explaining her plan, Midna shoves the two women away from Link and presses one hand over Link's heart and the other over Amadeus'. She sucks in a deep breath as Link's body begins to convulse again, every one of his limbs shaking and banging against the ground. His eyes roll back in his head and Aryll chokes on a sob at the sight of him.

Twenty-seven seconds left.

Hair wagging like a dog's tail, the lines on Midna's arms begin to glow an electric blue and a white light emits from her palms. The same illuminate blue lines begin to travel around Amadeus' and Link's bodies, gradually wrapping around them like a thousand tiny snakes. His body doesn't stop seizing though and more blood trickles out of his mouth.

Zelda feels her heart thudding against her chest and her breath catch in her throat as she watches the wonder. She heard rumors of the royal Twilit family's power but she had no idea they could do this! Perhaps it is because of Ganondorf's failed experiment that gives her such abilities.

By now the lines have wrapped all over their bodies but Midna's small form is trembling and her breathing is rapid. There is a point where all the blue lights fade almost to nothing but, with a tired grunt, she has enough concentration to bring it back.

Eight seconds left and then…a flash of white.

And when it clears all that is left is complete silence.

Link's human body lies completely still on the ground, his back pressed against the cool floor and the lab coat covering his midsection. His eyes are closed peacefully and his chest gently rises with each breath he takes. To his side is Midna. She's resting on her stomach, her head propped up a bit by her massive stone helm, and her back rises with each gentle breath she takes. Amadeus, however, is gone.

What is left in the baby's place is an enormous creature with jet-black fur and a white under belly. He is also fast asleep with his paws spread out and his tail swishing back and forth, brushing the ground as if he is petting it. He would look like an ordinary wolf if it weren't for the symbol of the goddesses on his forehead.

"Amadeus…" Zelda breathes, gently reaching her hand out to touch the sleeping animal. At the sound of her voice, his ears twitch towards her but he remains untroubled.

"It's an ancient Twilit ability," Aryll explains softly, crawling over to her companion as Zant plops down beside Midna with the fire extinguisher still in his hands. He doesn't do anything though, just stares blankly into space. Whispering, Aryll continues, "In a sense, there were two souls in Link: his own and the Blue Eyed Beast's. She separated them and put one into a vessel, which happened to be Amadeus. The baby's body then transformed into the shape of a wolf."

"Is that scientifically possible?" Zelda asks quietly as she glances toward her companion.

Aryll shrugs. "I guess that's why so many people took interest in Twilits, to learn how they can do all the things they do."

"Are you two going to sit there all day and talk about myths?" A very familiar voice grumbles, the sound of the deep gentleness making their hearts flutter. The tone is obviously trying to sound tough but there is an ache in it that cannot be hidden. Sitting up with a lab coat wrapped tightly around him, Link asks, "Do you have a blanket? I'm freezing my butt off."

Neither woman moves. They all simply stare at Link, mesmerized by his voice and casual demeanor. His golden hair is ruffled and poking out in all directions. Blood cakes the sides of his face but other than that he looks perfectly fine. His azure eyes are glistening with life and, when he flashes them a tired smile, Aryll instantly begins weeping.

Sniffling, she somehow manages to sprint across the space between them and tackle him in a hug. Sobbing and clutching onto him with all her strength, she chokes out, "I love you, you stupid, over protective, music obsessed werewolf!"

"I love you too, Aryll," Link replies calmly, rubbing her back and stuffing his face into the crook of her neck. He closes his eyes and breathes deeply, feeling her tears soaking his skin and her sniffling loud in his ears.

They hold each other for a while, elated that their only family is still alive. From behind them Zelda wraps her arms around herself, taking deep breaths to try to hold back tears of fear, hurt, relief, and love. There is still much to be done, like informing the police and wakening Midna, so there is no time for her to be crying. She still needs to be strong in order to get everything under control.

However, the second Aryll untwines herself from her brother and Link sends her his goofy smile, she finds herself sprinting into his arms and letting the tears pour from her eyes.

A strong smell of lavender washes into his nostrils as Zelda hugs him, her face buried into his shoulder and her body shaking with her sobs. He tightens his grip around her and keeps her pressed to him, feeling the greatest relief he has ever felt in his life.

Zelda isn't sure what compels her to do what she does next, but she leans away from him and cups his blood stained face in her hands. She blinks rapidly to rid herself of the tears and, after a few moments, has managed to suspend them for a moment. Link gazes up at her in wonder and soon finds himself holding his breath as her soft fingers trace the caked blood on his face. Her eyebrows furrow together with concern and she stares at one spot for a while before her expression softens. Gently running a hand through his ruffled blond hair, she questions softly, "Are you okay?"

Link's mouth twitches up into a smile and he nods just a bit in return. He then feels her finger tracing his lips, as if savoring his grin, before she brings it away. For a second she stares into his gorgeous blue eyes, a smile forming at the sight of the brilliant life in them, before dipping her head closer and gently pressing her lips against his.

His brain is pounding and his heart is still aching form its recent torment. He's shaken from all the events and his butt is freezing, but her kiss sends a spark of warmth through his frozen body and he can't help but smile through all of his discomfort. Somehow, in the midst of all this chaos, he has found one of the best things in his life.

* * *

_Author's Note_

Yeah, that took long enough! I'm going to try to keep this AN very brief, so let me just state some important things.

One, I understand that my back story for Ganondorf can be taken to be so out of character it's pathetic or it will be extremely thought provoking. I personally like it and it makes me sympathize with him so I won't be changing it. That doesn't mean I'm not open to critiques however! As usual, I welcome your words of wisdom with open arms in hopes it will only make me a better writer.

There is one more chapter left and some questions still need to be answered, like why did Ganondorf need a Blue Eyed Beast and is he dead or alive? Also, what is the deal with Amadeus? If any more questions cross your mind feel free to let me know. You never know if it's something I have overlooked!

Thank you all for a wonderful story so far. It has been fantastic hearing from all of you and I wish to get some more critiques before the final chapter is up, which will hopefully be soon. Thanks again!

~~Wave~~

Work Cited

"Epilepsy/Seizures: What to Do When Someone Has a Seizure? Medical Questions, Weight Loss, Pregnancy, Drugs, Health Insurance." _Health Medical Questions, Weight Loss, Pregnancy, Drugs, Health Insurance_. 10 Oct. 2006. Web. 26 Nov. 2010.

"List of Unusual Deaths." _Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia_. Web. 19 Nov. 2010.

"Rice Plants Have Up to 55,000 Genes." Web log post. _Rate It All_. 14 Nov. 2006. Web. 19 Nov. 2010


	11. Chapter 11

Author's Note

_Previously on Rivers Need Springs: Wolf Link, Zelda, Aryll, Zant, Midna, Olathe, and Amadeus tried to escape but the guards shot and killed Olathe. Enraged, Midna demanded that they find Ganondorf and look for Aryll and Zant (who had gone missing right before Olathe's death). They discover that Ganondorf used to be a very important figure in spreading diversity with Twilits and Hylians but stopped after his adoptive Twilit son was killed by a racist Twilit. Apparently, this turned him bitter and eventually led him to plan genocide. He then injects something into Link that causes him to turn human and only has two minutes to live due to the Crepusculumcytes attacking his heart. Midna, using her enhanced Twilit abilities, transfers Amadeus' soul into the Blue Eyed Beast's body, making Amadeus now a wolf and Link a normal human. In their glee, Zelda kisses Link. :D_

_And that's all you need to know for Rivers Need Springs._

This is it guys, the final chapter for the story and the last time I'll be apologizing for how late I always am with these updates! Especially this one because I'm over a month late. Holidays are busy times I tell you.

So I'm going to do the acknowledgements at the end of this chapter but I will still thank all the people who reviewed last chapter, so thank you **Airplane, Zelda and maximum ride fan **(anonymous review), **Canada Cowboy, Legend of Zelda 4 Life, Chiharu-angel, la generala, Star Cyber 2, , MythCreatorWriter, Sparty the Bold, LoZfanD **(anonymous), and **Kattheamazing**.

Please enjoy the final update!

~~Wave~~

Chapter Eleven – Never Take the Last Roll of Toilet Paper

* * *

TUESDAY

* * *

Link and Aryll sit on the hood of a police car just outside the warehouse with over three-dozen officers surrounding them. Most of them are struggling to keep a few keen reporters at bay while the others are wandering around aimlessly, hands on their hips in an attempt to look like they know what they're doing. About ten of them surround a different car that Ganondorf is supposedly locked in, but the extremely tinted windows and human wall makes it impossible to tell. The brother and sister have to trust that he's trapped in there though, as of late, trusting is a difficult thing to do. They are exhausted and shaken from the events, so the only position that they want to see Ganondorf in is trapped behind bars eating a pickle (because Aryll _hates_ pickles).

Link can't help but be a bit annoyed that the police haven't taken the evil man to prison yet, even though he is still grateful they came when they did. After Midna saved both Link and Amadeus' lives, it hadn't taken long for the police to come. Only about a minute later did police burst into the basement with their guns at the ready. And, from behind them, soared in an enormous brown owl that flew around in circles hooting madly. Exhaustion and relief left Link speechless, so he could only smile in return at his friend Kaepora.

Ganondorf woke up about five minutes later in handcuffs while he was being dragged up the steps of the basement. He fought back at first and Zelda, Link, and Aryll were terrified that he might manage to escape. Thankfully, five brave, burly men put guns to his head and Ganondorf calmed down after a few venomous words. Even an insane man seems to know when it's best to keep quiet.

According to one officer, he and his friend were walking into the police station when a large owl swooped in and stole a gun right out of one of their belts, knocking over half of the department's furniture in the process. Furious, him and a few other guards chased the owl all the way down Jay Avenue and into the warehouse. Instantly the owl dropped the stolen weapon on the ground and perched himself on a chair. The men were about to leave when they heard gunfire from somewhere else in the building and they instantly called for back up. It took about five minutes but, thankfully, they found the basement just before Ganondorf could awaken and cause chaos again.

Now the Oakwoods are resting outside in silence with their hearts pounding and random parts of their bodies aching. Link is fully dressed in an overly large gray Hylian Police Department T-shirt and matching sweatpants (the only clothes that were in one of the cars). The blood is still caked to his face and his blond hair is sticking in all directions as if girls had pulled and gelled it. From beside him, Aryll isn't much better. Her cobalt eyes keep drooping as they stare at the setting sun, her body leaning heavily against his. Despite her exhaustion, however, she still manages to notice the direction of Link's gaze.

"Quit staring at her," she instructs sleepily but Link can hear the smile in her voice. He knows fully well the reason for her surprising hints of joy on a day full of such turmoil.

"I'm not staring, just nonchalantly looking," he replies in the same soft tone, not taking his eyes off of a pretty blonde woman standing across a field of cop cars. She is rapidly discussing something with the chief of police and has been for the past hour. Midna, who had woken up only recently, hovers beside her and interjects at some moments but, for the most part, Zelda is the one explaining everything to him and a few eavesdroppers. Even though Link cannot hear what she is saying, he can feel the power of her words and can imagine her steely blue eyes piercing into the chief of police's as she tries to explain everything.

Aryll releases a tired sigh and closes her eyes. The moments of glee that followed Link and Zelda's kiss were short lived once they got outside and settled down. Extreme fatigue fell on almost everybody instantly, their minds heavy with all the emotions flaring through them today. The only people who seem unaffected are Zant and Amadeus.

Link is still bewildered by the large black wolf with the mark of the goddesses. According to his sister, who is an expert on all myths, Midna used her Twilit powers to transfer Amadeus' dying soul into the Blue Eyed Beast's body where it will live on, the healthy body keeping him alive.

Link's attention is taken away from Zelda to the massive wolf as the creature weaves in and out of cop cars. Policemen gawk at it and the reporters get into a frenzy as soon as they recognize him to be the exact replica of the mythical creature. Unlike when he was in his baby form, Amadeus is now full of life. He sniffs at every little thing he sees and his tail won't stop wagging. Tongue hanging out of his mouth, he trots over to the Oakwoods and stares up at Link with large, twinkling cobalt eyes and a wide grin.

_It's like he has had no idea what happened to his mother_, Link sadly muses to himself as he sends the wolf a half smile and gives his head an affectionate ruffle. _This might be the first time he's actually had the ability to move on his own accord. Who knows how long he has been sick before this?_

"What are we going to do with him?" Zelda's voice asks from nearby, no sign of exhaustion behind her strong demeanor, and Link snaps his head up to see her standing in front of him. Her long golden hair is tangled and smears of grime stain her shirt but, to Link, she still looks beautiful.

"I'm not sure," he responds while the wolf, Amadeus, spins around and jumps up at Zelda playfully. He rests his front paws against her stomach and stretches his head up to try to lick her face. She shows a warm smile and rubs his head affectionately. It only lasts for a moment because he soon finds something else to investigate and rushes over to it.

Sitting beside Link, Zelda wraps one of her arms around his and rests her head against his shoulder. She doesn't say anything but smiles again when Link kisses the top of her head.

"What do the police think?" Aryll's question breaks their short moment, leaning forward to look at Zelda.

"They had some trouble believing it of course," Zelda explains as she snuggles deeper into Link's side, grateful to have him alive and human. Despite her powerful expression with the officers, she feels it is okay for her to show how tired she is next to him. "The chief of police is aware of H.N.G.L.S. and some officers just found a ton of files in the warehouse with Ganondorf's name on them," she glances with a bit of loathing towards the warehouse/secret laboratory/worst place ever. "Currently, they believe in our story but it's going to take a lot for evidence, unless Ganondorf confesses."

"Will we have to go to court?" Link wonders and Zelda's quick to answer.

"Maybe if Ganondorf denies everything and demands a lawyer."

"Hey guys…what is Zant doing?" Aryll questions and brings their attention around to the man in question. The brain damaged Twilit is rolling back and forth on the ground a few meters away from them as he moans with his saliva filled mouth wide open. Amadeus chases after him every time he changes direction once five seconds has passed. The wolf is panting with happiness and he leaps around the rolling - probably oblivious - Twilit joyfully. Nobody says anything for a while and Link wonders if maybe they're playing together; however, his focus is turned to Midna as she starts shouting from across the field of cars,

"I've been trapped by a psycho Hylian for three years and you're denying my simple request! I can't believe how racist some people can be!"

Midna instantly flies away from a fussing chief of police who's calling her to come back and settle things calmly. The Twilight Princess, with her back turned towards him, rushes over to Link, Aryll, and Zelda. They're surprised by her sudden outburst but the smirk on her face has to mean something.

"What were you asking?" Link asks, feeling a bit odd yet relieved to finally be able to speak to the princess after being mute for so long.

"I demanded that you get custody of Amadeus," she explains smugly, crossing her legs and leaning back in the air. "He denied me at first because the animal is sacred, even after I explained to him how he isn't the real Blue Eyed Beast, but then I whipped out the racist card and that always works."

"Wait," Zelda interjects, her light blue eyes awakening with what she just heard. "You want _us_ to take care of Amadeus?"

"Yes, I want him to live with you," She replies in a more serious tone, directing her steady gaze at Link. "There is a connection between you and him now. You're the last family he has and, frankly, I think the boy deserves a family, don't you?"

Link nods once and, though it isn't directly stated, everybody knows that they are all thinking of the same person: Olathe. They bend their heads and grow silent for a minute, their hearts heavy and their minds aching from imagining her terrible death over and over again. Link's fingers grow cold and his throat tighten up when he sees her limp body slowly roll down the stairs, her limbs twisting in unnatural ways, until it comes to a stop without a sound. It is sickening, horrifying, and heart wrenching all in one. Could he have saved her? Was there anything he could have done that would have stopped all of this?

The sorrow and regret in the air is almost palpable but knowledgeable Zelda tries to bring them out of their thoughts by stating an important fact. Taking a calming breath, she lifts her head up and says, "I don't know if we can take care of him – now that he's a wolf. None of us live in a proper place to raise him. Wolves need space to run around and – "

"So move," Midna states dryly yet somewhat quietly as if it's obvious. "I'm leaving him in your hands now because that is what he wants. Tearing him away from his family is the last thing I'd ever want to do to him."

Her crimson eye narrows as she glances over at the car where Ganondorf is imprisoned in. The sun setting behind her casts a dramatic shadow across her face as her hands curl into fists.

Noticing this change in expression, Aryll quickly asks, "Hey, Midna? You know how your hair is the ultimate weapon?"

Midna' doesn't move for a second, just keeps staring at that car, but then she nods and reluctantly brings her gaze to the young woman.

"Then why didn't you use it to bust yourself out of the cage before. Like…three years ago?"" Aryll wonders, somehow not flinching under Midna's regal gaze.

Softening her gaze, she explains simply, "The cage Ganondorf put us in suppressed my abilities. The most I could do was float, but the second Blondie broke it I had my powers back."

"Ganondorf was better equipped than I realized," Link muses with dread in his voice. "If only his son was never killed that night, maybe none of this would have happened."

"It's best not to dwell on the past," Midna instructs curtly. "Just be grateful that your butt was saved."

Link sends the princess a forced smile as she turns away to face the chief of police who, after being shocked to silence by the princess' accusation of racism, has come over and agreed to let the Oakwoods keep custody of Amadeus. While Midna chides the policeman, Link's thoughts are focused on what the princess had said only moments before. If Zelda and Aryll hadn't come to save him, who knows what would have happened? Not to mention Zant, who knocked Ganondorf unconscious, and even Kaepora for creating the distraction and informing the police. If it weren't for them, he'd be screwed.

Smiling, Link wraps his arms around Aryll and Zelda and they turn to him in confusion. His heart is light with relief and gratitude despite his aching body as he declares to the women beside him, "I don't think I can ever be mad at you two again."

Zelda smiles in return but Aryll's eyes light up like a firecracker has just shot inside them. "Really?"

Link nods.

"Then I guess now is a good time to tell you I have a boyfriend."

His grin instantly drops to a frown.

"His name is Collin and we've been dating since January. I was going to tell you earlier but I know how much you hate every boy I've ever been next to so I was waiting for the perfect time," she explains joyfully as Link's happy moment completely disappears. Eyebrows furrowing together, Aryll rebukes, "Well don't look so down! He's a great guy and I'm sure you'll love him! I've been trying to find a proper time to get him to visit us, but with you being a wolf and all…stop looking like somebody purposely stole the last roll of toilet paper just to piss you off!"

Link's mouth is pulled into a sneer and his eyes are narrowed. He has the same annoyance and aggression he gets whenever there isn't any more paper, just like Aryll had mentioned. From beside him, Zelda smiles to herself and rolls her eyes.

"You said you wouldn't get mad!" Aryll protests.

"At _you_," Link corrects. "I didn't say I wouldn't get mad at him."

Aryll's shoulders slump forward and she crosses her arms. "This is just like that one time when I wanted a Mary Piggles Doll and you wouldn't get it for me!"

"Because Mary Piggles was way too expensive for such a cheap and pathetic toy. I wasn't going to spend thirty dollars on a Barbie with pig ears attached to her head and – wait, how does that even relate to this?"

"It relates to this perfectly!" Aryll retorts hotly. Zelda releases a relaxed sigh, pleased that, despite all their torment, it seems some things never change.

* * *

TWO WEEKS LATER

* * *

After being gone for a week, Zelda returns home only to find her house infested with bugs. She had completely forgotten about the smashed window (thanks to Kaepora) but Link offers to have her stay with him and Aryll at his place for as long as she needs.

His apartment building is enormous with sleek walls that reflect the sun and streetlights. The lobby is pristine with silver chandeliers and plush armchairs. Such luxury is lost, however, when they enter Link's home. He instantly begins cleaning up a pile of dirty dishes and throwing clothes into a heap in his closet. In a rush, he vacuums and prepares beds for the two women. After a couple hours, the place is almost at par to Zelda's previously organized home.

Midna had told many different reporters their story, sometimes bringing in Link, Zelda, or Aryll to help, because she wanted to spread their story like wild fire. According to her, people were ignorant of Hyrule's still existing racism and she feels that their experiences will rally up more supporters for diversity. For the most part this was a good thing, but soon everybody recognized the Oakwoods and Zelda and would often bombard them with questions. So far the only perk has been that Link's landowner allows them to keep Amadeus even though they have a strict no-pets policy.

Now, about two weeks since that fateful day, Link, Zelda, and Aryll all sit in plush green chairs in the chief of police's office. They've been in here many times before and are now used to the strong smell of coffee and cologne. The book-filled shelves that line the walls no longer intimidate them (but Zelda still wishes she could flip through a few. She has never been much into politics, though, with trial against Ganondorf coming up in a few months, she's longing to learn as much as possible). The man's silk suit, the dark mahogany desk, and golden lights, clocks, and pens show only part of the wealth Chief Greenhorn possesses.

"It's great to see you all again," The chief smiles, his fluffy white mustache lifting with the motion and his beady black eyes sparkling. Gently placing his hands on his round belly, he states seriously, "I have some very important news I want to discuss with you."

"Has Ganondorf confessed yet?" Aryll asks eagerly, her small hands clutching to the armrests as if trying to keep herself from sinking back into the enormous chair.

"Sadly that is not the case," the chief shakes his head, the light reflecting off of his balding head. "He is still as adamant as ever but we'll get him in court, don't you worry. I have something else I want to discuss…hold on a moment…"

The chief trails off as he pulls open a desk drawer and rummages through it. Link glances over at Zelda, whose soft blue eyes are scanning the bookshelves, and he feels his heart pounding a bit faster than usual.

"Aw, here it is," the chief sighs in relief, opening up the folder on the desk before resting his hands on his round belly again. "Speaking of Ganondorf…I have some information that I think you'd like to hear."

Zelda's eyes instantly snap away from the books and onto him, or rather, onto the folder.

"As you know, Ganondorf lost his son to a racist Twilit. He did not tell you, however, that his parents were killed by a group of prejudiced Twilits as well."

"What?" Link and Aryll ask in unison with their mouths hanging open while Zelda simply stares in shock at the folder.

"What's more is that his parents' killers were never found. They are probably still walking around freely to this very day," the chief explains with only a hint of sympathy. It's hard to feel compassion for somebody who wanted the deaths of thousands.

"How did they die?" Link asks with sudden eagerness, his fingers tightening on the armrests.

Clearing his throat, the plump chief shifts around in his chair while he scans the page in the folder. In a gruff voice, he summarizes, "Maddox and Genevieve Dragmire were coming home from a rally supporting diversity between Hylians and Twilits. A witness testimony states that five Twilits came up to them in a dark alley and, after a few nasty words were shared, shot his parents. Ganondorf was only ten years old at the time."

Link sinks back into his chair and stares down at his feet. He had only been ten too when his parents died by a drunk driver. Thankfully, the criminal had been caught and put to justice but Ganondorf's parents' killers weren't. If that drunk driver had gotten away free, he isn't sure how he would have reacted. Would he be as bitter as Ganondorf? Surely not as violent, right?

"Yet Ganondorf then went on to be one of the biggest supporters of diversity?" Aryll confirms in confusion. "His parents were killed by a different race yet he still wanted integration – I'm not saying that's a bad thing though! Well, the death is but the integration is good. It's just odd for him…yeah," Aryll mumbles at the end there and then dips her head down to hide her red face.

"Perhaps he wanted to complete his parents' wishes?" Zelda offers before the chief can voice his own ideas. "Or maybe he wanted to make sure what happened to him never happens to anybody else? These both sound like way too noble of options for him to take…but his son's death could have triggered something in him…" She trails off, gazing to the side in confusion as she struggles to find a better answer. Was he really that compassionate before? How close were him and his son?

"Ganondorf is a mystery in himself," the chief states, wrinkling his nose to hold back a sneeze. It's a failure though because strands of his mustache tickle his nose and causes him to release a huge sneeze into his elbow.

"Sorry," he mumbles while whipping out a handkerchief.

"It's okay," Aryll and Zelda say together while Link slowly brings himself back to the conversation. Clearing his throat again and stuffing the handkerchief away, the chief shuffles through some papers before saying, "The second thing I wanted to tell you was that we found a whole other section of Ganondorf's research. It involves you, Link."

Link instantly straightens up and stares attentively at the plump man. Scratching his beard, the chief scans the file and explains, "As you know, Ganondorf assigned you to recreate the Blue Eyed Beast. It is said to have been the only creature that can live perfectly fine in both Light and Twilight. Ganondorf had tried many times to learn how he can get the same…er, _balance_ I guess, but none of his experiments worked. His last resort was to recreate the animal itself but, due to his frustration with the project and the little time he possessed, he assigned you to do it."

Link nods in understanding as the chief continues, "Apparently, once he found how Crepuscu – what is that word? Anyways, once he found out how the animal can live in both worlds, he would use that information for his troops. As you know, Ganondorf was going to inject Twilits' abilities into Hylians to make an army; however, this would kill the person because of the two different blood types."

Link nods again, silent as he ponders over the new information. He was hoping for a bit more of a relieved feeling once he learned Ganondorf's intentions but the information does not change the shock and betrayal that hovers around in his brain. It's hard for him to wrap his mind around the fact that he was actually helping in genocide.

"Lastly, I have a bit of good news for you!" The chief grins, his fluffy mustache rising with the movement again. Passing his gaze over all three of them, he says eagerly, "King Daphnes himself sent me an e-mail asking this of you three. He says that for years they have believed racism was not as big of an issue as it once was but, with this news of a possible genocide, he says he was terribly wrong. Most of the world already knows what happened to you three but nobody knows how you _feel_ on the matter. That is why he wants one of you to have a speech read at the palace. There will be reporters and a huge audience, not to mention international T.V. –"

"Wait!" Aryll cries, her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open. "WHAT?"

"A speech?" Link gasps, his face already blanched. "I suck at speeches, I always have Zelda write…"

Everybody turns to Zelda.

"Huh?" She muses, glancing around at them all. "What are you…. oh. Oh. OH! No…no, no, no, no, no! Nobody wants to hear a secretary speak."

"But Zelda! You are perfect for this!" Link insists but she shakes her head.

"No I am not. People would rather hear this from you, Link. You were a werewolf after all."

"But I didn't do _anything_!" Link corrects intensely. "You, Aryll, Midna, Zant, and Olathe were the ones who got us out of that laboratory. I did absolutely nothing, _you_ did."

"That isn't true," Zelda replies but Aryll cuts the two off.

"Do we even _have_ to give the speech?" She asks the chief and he shrugs.

"Well, you can't be _forced_ but I'm sure it couldn't hurt to get onto the king's good side. He believes raising awareness of the still present racism will eventually end it…or bring it down to a controllable level. I guess, in the end, you'd be responsible for ending racism!"

He says the last part with a lopsided grin and a chuckle but Aryll takes it seriously. "How can we end racism with a speech?"

"Think about it," Zelda instructs from beside her in her usual matter-of-fact tone. "Let's say we give the speech and then people will feel compelled to help the other race, so they will involve themselves with spreading diversity. The racism between Hylians and Twilits hasn't been a big issue for the past decade, so bringing it up again could really involve more people and put an end to it."

"I guess even the smallest task can affect a much larger one," Aryll mumbles to herself before something sparks in her brain and she sends a steady gaze to her brother. "Right, Link?" She winks with a grin.

"I know, I know," He grumbles. "I helped out because if I hadn't turned into a wolf then none of this would have happened and we wouldn't have stopped Ganondorf from committing genocide."

"No!" Aryll snaps. "Well…yes, that's true, but if you hadn't smelled out Ganondorf then you wouldn't have found him in the basement and he could have gotten away or something."

"That's a pretty weak argument," Link states and Aryll huffs.

"Just be happy with it okay?"

"Yeah," Zelda agrees, sending him a smile. "After all, rivers need springs."

At this Link cannot help but grin in return. It's a pleasant surprise to him that she even remembers his grandmother's saying, especially since he only mentioned it once.

"So…" The chief of police mumbles, scratching his mustache. "Are you going to be giving the speech or not?"

"Yeah, Zelda will," Aryll decides but the other woman glares at her.

"No I won't. Link or Aryll can."

"Zelda, you are great for this!" Link insists but she crosses her arms and shakes her head.

With a sigh, Aryll turns to the chief and says, "One of us will do it and it will be Zelda. It will just take a while for her to agree to it."

The chief smiles and nods and whispers to her, "Good, because this speech might empower somebody out there to stand up for what's right. And I don't know about you but I'm beat. I could really use a nice cup of lime soup with lamb in it."

"…That's disgusting."

* * *

TWO MONTHS LATER

* * *

The bright moon illuminates the night sky as Zelda stares up at it. Her mind is sleepy yet alert with the upcoming day and, even though it was a month ago, she keeps thinking of the speech she had given in front of thousands of people at the palace. She spoke about the events that transpired that day in the warehouse and how racism has a terrible effect on all lives, using Ganondorf, Olathe, Midna, Zant, and Link as examples. She even met King Daphnes himself, who was much nicer than the news let on. It was a huge success and they have offers to lecture at colleges and other cities with a large payment waiting for them.

Although Link and Aryll didn't speak, she wouldn't have been able to give a flawless lecture if they weren't beside her side the entire time. As usual, she hid her nervous emotions behind a stone mask but Link has been growing accustomed to her facades and easily saw through it. Even though she wasn't shaking or sweating, he still encouraged her just enough to get her on that stage.

They are at home now in Zelda's bungalow but the house doesn't just belong to her anymore. As of a month ago, Link officially moved in with Amadeus. They are debating on going to a larger home further out into the woods because, frankly, keeping a wolf in a city is a terrible idea. Link's hard enough to live with as it is. His plant fetish is still as strong as ever so he has to have foliage every few square feet, he constantly leaves clothes lying on the floor and food out on the table, and he has left the oven on all night three times already. Zelda has been reprimanding him for his laziness and, either due to love or fear, Link's been trying to be more organized like her. While it is a bit difficult for her to get used to, there is no way she's ever going to rid him of her house.

When he had been a wolf, Link was either under control or off growling in the corner. Amadeus, on the other hand, is the complete opposite. When he is bored he sprints around the house leaping over couches and coffee tables like a horse. The backyard is pathetically small and he cannot go into anybody else's yard (Zelda's orders, even though Link thinks it's totally fine) so he spends as much time around the indoor plants as Link does.

Feeding a wolf is next to impossible. At first they planned on just getting bags of raw meat from the grocery store but the pesticides bothered Amadeus. They had to resort to spending twice as much money on meat without any preservatives but that didn't bother them too much. No, the worst part is being forced to buy dead mice (usually sold for snakes) so that Amadeus can get a sense of a real kill. Unfortunately, it is disgusting to watch.

Even though it seems that owning a wolf is a hassle, Zelda and Link would never give him up. He's full of relentless energy and there is a special connection between him and Link, like Midna had mentioned before. There is no telepathy involved but they seem to understand each other's expressions and can communicate. Not only that, but he's fantastic company when somebody is up at midnight.

That's what Zelda is doing now as she sits on the couch. She looks down at the sleeping animal next to her as she rhythmically strokes his head, occasionally tracing the symbol of the goddesses on his forehead. Amadeus' body rises up and down with each deep, sleeping breath he takes.

The silence she has been enjoying is fractured when the sound of soft footsteps reaches her ears. Glancing over her shoulder, she can barely see Link through the thick night as he walks towards her. His hands are stuffed into his pant's pockets and he sends her a crooked smile before saying with confidence, "Can't sleep?"

"Not a wink," she replies, turning her head back around and sinking into the couch with a tired sigh.

Sitting down next to her, Link gazes at her with his calm cobalt eyes and whispers softly, "You were in bed before, so why'd you get up?"

She looks at him and sends him a soft smile as she rests her head on his shoulder. "Sorry about that," she whispers in return while stroking Amadeus some more. "I can't sleep because of the trial tomorrow," she admits with exhaustion.

"Yeah," Link agrees with a deep sigh. "These next few days are going to be brutal."

"Days?" Zelda echoes with a hint of incredulousness in her voice. "Murder trials take at least two weeks and Ganondorf has been accused of not just murder, but kidnapping, performing illegal experiments, and much more. This will take way more than a few days."

"Really?" Link gasps, his cheerfulness dying into pain at the upcoming weeks of court. "Well…this sucks!"

Despite her nervousness, Zelda can't help but smile in amusement. Deciding to change the subject, she slips her hand into his and asks, "So why are you up this late?"

"I keep imagining tomorrow too," he admits as he rubs his thumb in a circle on the back of her hand. "I keep thinking Ganondorf is going to be on the witness stand and on the verge of confessing when he suddenly springs up and starts shooting everybody with a machine gun."

"Ganondorf will be completely unarmed," She reassures him, tipping her head back and looking into his cobalt eyes. "He has the best security on him and will be sent to jail in no time– "

"Two weeks at the least," Link corrects.

"Right, two weeks. Maybe even less if Princess Midna has anything to do with it."

At this Link grins and opens his mouth to reply but he is cut off by his growling stomach. As if this is an alarm, Amadeus springs awake and gazes at Link with his tongue already hanging out of his mouth.

Smile widening, Link leans across Zelda and ruffles the wolf's head. "You hungry too? Come on, let's get something to eat!"

"You're still hungry?" Zelda asks in awe. "We only ate three hours ago!"

"So?" Link responds as he pushes himself off the couch, Amadeus following his move. "I may be human but I still got the appetite of a wolf!"

"I wonder if we should be worried about that," Zelda muses to herself.

"Come on," Link urges her as he leans closer to her face. Planting a quick kiss on her lips, he grins and says, "Some food will take your mind off of tomorrow. I'm personally in the mood for some fish, do we have any?"

"Just shrimp."

"That's a pretty good midnight snack, right Ama?"

Amadeus nods his head and leaps past the couple straight to the kitchen.

"A shrimp's heart is in his head," Zelda states, mostly to herself, but Link easily hears it and places a hand on her cheek.

"That's my girl," he winks, kissing her again for a few seconds. He's almost tempted to stay like that with her but his stomach growls again and he rushes off to the kitchen to get some shrimp, leaving his girlfriend to playfully roll her eyes and follow.

* * *

TWO YEARS LATER

* * *

The trial against Ganondorf took about a month to complete. It would have been shorter if their enemy hadn't been so cunning with his testimonies. The case was extremely complex but in the end he was found guilty. His punishment would be a lifetime in prison and this pleased all of them. The death penalty had been an option but they all refused it. Rotting away in jail was good enough for them.

It was the first time they had seen Midna and Zant in a while (and they were thoroughly confused as to why Zant came since he had to leave every five minutes for having fits) and the princess wasn't pleased at all to have to be stuck in court for a month. During her three-year absence, the Twilight Province had been in chaos and she has been working on reforms nonstop ever since her return. The case was holding her up but, after a few rude remarks, she warmed up to seeing Link, Aryll, and Zelda again. Amadeus wasn't allowed in the court, though Midna was still pleased to hear about how great he was doing.

Unfortunately, the princess had the same deformities that she had back in the warehouse. Once the trial was over, Link offered to join a famous laboratory so that he could work to find a cure for Midna's "disease" so to speak. He was accepted to the new work place right away and Zelda became his secretary once again. She had always dreamt of being a biologist but let that dream slip away. She felt helping find a cure for the Twilight Princess would be enough to satisfy her, even if that meant just keeping Link's feet off the table and arranging meetings for him. Because, like she always tells him, a teaspoon of soil may contain 100 million bacteria and he somehow always manages to get dirt on his shoes.

Two years later in Link and Zelda's new home out on the countryside, thoughts of Ganondorf or the trial are nowhere to be found. Instead, they are concerned on another big issue. Something so important that it makes the usually lazy Link pace the foyer frantically, his hands stuffed in his pockets and his shoulders hunched. Amadeus walks with him, copying his every move like a child following his father.

"Link," Aryll sighs from the doorway of the kitchen as another man walks to her side. "Please stop pacing or else you'll start sweating and no woman likes a sweaty man."

The person beside her, Collin, nods silently. His long blonde hair bobs with the motion as he drapes an arm across her shoulder.

"I know! It's j-just…" Link stutters while Aryll and her boyfriend exchange exhausted glances.

"Don't worry, everything will be fine," Collin tries reassuring him in his soft, deep voice, but it doesn't help much.

"Link, stop pacing and get ready," Aryll instructs in a friendly tone, grabbing a small velvet box off of the kitchen table and placing it into her brother's hand. His face pales at the sight of the object and his heart skips a beat. "She'll be back from the store any minute so you better be ready to go out on your date, okay?"

Swallowing, Link nods and stuffs the box into his pants pockets.

"Can't you at least change out of your jeans?"

"What? If I dress too nicely then it ruins the surprise!" He argues.

"You are going out to a nice restaurant so wearing khakis won't mean anything."

"Look, I will – "

_Bark! Bark, bark!_

Everybody instantly freezes as they listen to Amadeus' barking – something he does whenever a car pulls up into the driveway. The wolf jumps up and down by the front door as everybody rushes to the window. Looking out it, they see Zelda opening the trunk of her car and lifting out an armful of groceries.

"Quick, Link! Go upstairs and change while we help with the groceries!" Aryll orders, pushing her brother towards the stairs.

"Fine!" He groans but rushes up the stairs two at a time to his bedroom.

A few minutes later, Link comes down to the kitchen where he hears Zelda, Collin, and Aryll chatting. He enters the room only to freeze at the sight of his girlfriend. His throat runs dry but, at the same time, he's full of admiration for her wonderful character and immense beauty, both of which are only some of the reasons that makes his task tonight so difficult.

Upon his entrance, Zelda beams at him and plants a quick kiss before saying, "Let me run upstairs and change and then we'll go, okay?"

He nods dumbly as she rushes out. Nobody says a word until they hear the door to her bedroom close and then Aryll and Collin burst out in conversation as if they are kids in a classroom whose teacher has just left them unattended.

"Remember not to eat too much, Link!" his sister explains matter-of-factly. "Women don't like watching men stuff themselves."

"And stay away from anything that makes your breath smell," Collin adds in with a quieter tone, not fully looking Link in the eyes. He's always been a bit timid.

"And, though it may be hard for you, don't be stupid," Aryll instructs and Link's shoulders slump with all their comments. Noticing this, his sister grins and gives him a quick hug.

"Don't you worry about it!" She cheers him on. "Everything will go great!"

As if in agreement, Amadeus barks twice and paws at Link's leg. The wolf's tongue is hanging out of his mouth and his tail is wagging. Bending down, Link can't help but smile at his friend and rubs his head affectionately. "What do you think, Ama?"

The wolf nods and begins licking Link's face affectionately.

A few minutes later, footsteps are heard again and Zelda enters the kitchen. She is wearing a white sundress with her long golden hair following around her effortlessly. Despite his nervousness, Link sends her his crooked grin and leads her out to the car. Aryll and Collin whisper words of good luck to him before he exits, all of them with their fingers crossed.

Four months later and Zelda changes her last name from "Harkarian" to "Oakwood." Even though the events two years ago were the most painful and stressful days of their lives, they are still grateful that it happened. If not, Link and Zelda wouldn't have the life they have today.

In the end, they simply marvel at how the smallest event can change lives forever.

* * *

Author's Note

I'm not terribly proud of this chapter but, because there is so much to say, I'm not going to go over that.

As I mentioned in the first chapter, this fic was a challenge from my good friend, **Canada Cowboy**, so I thank you very much for giving me the assignment because, without it, I wouldn't have written this story in the first place or gotten the idea! Not only did you give me inspiration but you also helped me through the piece, so thanks again! I tried my best with your challenge and I hope you liked the results. Please, everybody, feel free to comment on whether or not I met up to the requirements, which are listed below:

1) Link is not the hero. I tried really hard to emphasize that, especially when Link admits in this chapter that he didn't do anything. Yeah, he did do some stuff, but in the end there are many different heroes for this story.

2) Relationship building where Link and Zelda have to go through some trials together to build a bond. I think I did fairly well at this but I'm unsure, what do you feel? I couldn't really draw this out because you can only keep a person hidden in your house for so long.

3) Work on building an atmosphere (i.e. suspense, whimsical, loving, quirky, etc.) and more show-don't-tell stuff.

4) Link becomes a wolf. I think I got that down. c:

5) I didn't mention this one in the beginning because it would be a spoiler: find a way to split the human and wolf sides of Link apart in the end, but make Link and Amadeus not only get along but stay together.

Anybody can comment on whether or not I did well at this challenge, so please do because some parts were very challenging indeed and I'd love some feedback!

I got many reviews for this story (score!) and learned so much from many of you. Here are some special people who probably took a good half hour out of their day to leave me the most amazing and helpful reviews I've ever gotten. So thank you a ton **Canada Cowboy, MythCreatorWriter, Sparty the Bold, Legend of Zelda 4 Life, **and **Kattheamazing_._** And thank you all my other very loyal reviewers who I could always count on for words of encouragement or important questions that I'd be reminded to go over next chapter. :) I hope to hear from you all in the future and thank you again!

A few other people who need my thanks are…

-**.** I have no idea how to do bibliographies and this website saved me.

-**My dad the doctor** for answering my questions about the human body.

-All the **websites** I have cited in previous chapters for giving me the information I needed for this story. I now know a ton of random facts that I can share with everybody at the most random times.

Guys, this story was a blast to write and I loved every minute of it. I thank you all for making this such a great time and keeping me writing. I hope to hear from you one last time before the story's officially over. I have another story idea in my head but I won't say it for the shake of time. If you are interested, click on my profile and the very top of the page will inform you of my future plans.

Thank you all so much again! Here is one last random fact that I wish Zelda could have said at some point:

Zelda: "The person you talk to the most is yourself."

Got that from my shampoo bottle. :)

~~Wave~~

Works Cited

"How to Care for a Pet Wolf | ." _EHow | How To Do Just About Everything! | How To Videos & Articles_. Web. 02 Jan. 2011.

"Trial and Error Maybe, but the Jury Must Stay - Opinion - .." _Sydney Morning Herald - Business & World News Australia | .au_. 2 Aug. 2004. Web. 30 Dec. 2010.

**The story is officially over. LET'S PARTY!**


End file.
